


Nightmare in Silver

by Azure_Witch13, Green_Phantom_Queen



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Blood Magic, Brainwashing, Character Turned Into Vampire, Consensual Mind Control, Dark Magic, Darkness, Emotional Manipulation, Father-Son Relationship, Father/Son Incest, Gen, Hugs, Hypnotism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Memory Alteration, Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Multi, Psychological Horror, Psychological Torture, Puppets, Vampire Bites, Vampire Turning, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2020-10-27 10:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20758808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azure_Witch13/pseuds/Azure_Witch13, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green_Phantom_Queen/pseuds/Green_Phantom_Queen
Summary: Zarc is the ruler of a kingdom of vampires. Yuya Sakaki is his ever loving son, lonely and constantly plagued with nightmares.Father knows best, and the best thing to do is to give Yuya some brand new friends. Surely that will make all those nasty nightmares go away, right?If only these friends weren't so feisty...if only there was a way to control their desires to escape....Thank goodness Yuya knows the ways of hypnosis! That'll be the best way to make everyone behave...But, of course, there are always going to be some nasty humans who just can't seem to understand Yuya's good intentions!





	1. Prologue: The Nightmare Begins

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hlglh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlglh/gifts).

> Inspired by a prompt by hlglh, and a way to give me an excuse for brainwashing the Yu-boys. Updates depend on how many people like/comment on it.
> 
> Also, the title comes from a (11th) Doctor Who episode. I originally wanted it to be called "Vampire Domination" but I felt like this title was more than enough to convey the terrors in store. 
> 
> (And I'd also be happy if anyone is willing to make fanart of this story!)

_ This was inspired by a prompt on AO3 by hlglh about a dream she had involving Zarc and his sons being vampires. While this is essentially deviating from what she prompted, I decided to make this an experiment to see if this becomes a side project whenever I am in need of a _ humongous _ break from Mors Omnibus (PS, go read it if you have a thing for the Yu-boys being the sons of a demonic loving Zarc) _

* * *

_ “Mommy? Daddy?” _

_ The young boy sniffles as he looks at the two bodies in front of him. He had just returned home from playing in the forest only to find his parents dead, their bodies drained of blood. _

_ “Please wake up!” The boy cries, shaking his father awake. “Please daddy! Wake up!” _

_ But it is of no use. He knows that they are a lost cause the moment he saw the marks on his father’s neck. _

_ A vampire arrived, maybe two, and there is nothing he can do to save them. _

_ For when a vampire drains the blood of a mortal, the mortal will be transformed into a vampire and will hunt for the first person that they lay eyes upon. _

_ The boy has been told what to do should his parents contract vampirism: go to the cabinet in their bedroom, find the bottle of holy water kept for emergencies, wear the pendulum blessed in the Sanctuary of Flora Vita and take hold of the silver stake and stab it into their hearts so that they will not suffer from this curse. Then, go find Shuzo and stay with him at all costs. The boy can trust Shuzo and his daughter; they are family friends and they would never let him be harmed. _

_ But to think that he would actually have to do this. He always thought that there was no possible way that his parents would ever become vampires… _

_ Yet here he was, futilely waking his parents up to see if they aren’t going to wake up as bloodsuckers. _

_ After four or five attempts to wake his parents up, the boy slowly walks away before he heads to the bedroom, doing his best to make his footsteps silent. He feels like his heart is going to shatter. His parents are dead and he has no idea how to deal with killing them. _

_ He will never get to eat warm bread with milk and honey with his mother… _

_ He will never hear his father’s amazing stories by the fireplace… _

_ He will never wake up and see their smiling faces ever again… _

_ When he enters the bedroom, the boy’s eyes trail towards the dark wooden cabinet with silver handles. The cabinet looks more like a mausoleum, hiding away dead things instead of charms to protect him. The boy himself wished that he would have a cabinet like that of his own, but he would make it filled with wonders by adding magical artifacts and trinkets that would be used to entertain and dazzle anyone who happened to peer upon them. _

_ But that is nothing more than a dream now. Nothing but an impossible dream. _

_ The boy grabs the holy water, the stake and the pendant into his hands and gasps when he senses someone behind him. He turns around and nearly drops the holy water in his hands when he sees who is right behind him. _

_ “Are you all right?” The person says, gold eyes staring back at the little boy with eyes like blood. _

_ “Who...who are you?” The boy whispers, staring at the man’s attire. It looks too fancy to belong to someone from the village. Perhaps he is of royalty? _

_ The person in his grey suit and long black cape smiles. “A friend,” he states. “What happened here?” _

_ The boy’s eyes shrink as he looks at the objects in his hands._

_ “My...my parents…” The boy stammers, tears forming in his eyes. “They’re...they were...b...bitten by…” _

_ His lower lip begins to tremble as he tries to state the word, but cannot. Instead, he rushes into the arms of this stranger and sobs into their chest. _

_ “There, there,” The person coos, patting the boy’s red and green hair with a gentle hand. “Let it all out. It’s going to be okay.” _

_ “No it’s not!” The boy exclaims. “My parents are...are…” _

_ “Your parents will be fine as long as you manage to drive the stake into their hearts before they awaken,” The person replies. _

_ “But...but I...I can’t…” _

_ “It is not an easy thing to do, especially for one so young as yourself,” The person agrees, standing up. “But I know a trick that will help you focus. Would you like me to show you?” _

_ The boy looks up at the person, inspecting them better. Their hair is silver like the moon with green accents like leaves on tree branches in Spring. Their smile is gentle like the flowing river and their gold eyes flicker like candle flames. _

_ The boy’s mother and father always told him to be wary of strangers...but this stranger is here right now and he can help him...right? _

_ “Here,” says the person, lightly grasping on the silver chain of the pendant in a gloved hand. “This will be helpful.” _

_ “Be careful with that!” The boy exclaims. “It’s enchanted at the Sanctuary of Flor...Floa…” _

_ “Oh the church with the pretty flowers?” The person says, eyes wide. “My, my...such power must radiate off of this pendulum…” His lips turn into a smirk. “This will be _ perfect _ for what I’m about to show you uh…” The person frowns. “I’m sorry, I never got your name.” _

_ “It’s...Yuya,” The boy answers, hesitatingly. “And what about your name, sir?” _

_ The person chuckles as he bends down low and brings the crystal so it is in between them. _

_ “My name is Zarc,” the person answers, golden eyes staring fondly at Yuya. “But soon enough, you may call me ‘Father’...” _

_ “F...Father...what do you mean by…” _

_ “Relax, Yuya…” Zarc whispers, silencing Yuya by placing a finger on the boy’s lips. Yuya’s red eyes shimmer in curiosity as Zarc lifts the chain so that the crystal wrapped in silver wings like Yuya’s parents would wrap him up nice and tight whenever he got scared of monsters that could prey on his dreams. “Stare into the light, take a deep breath, let everything go...listen to my voice…” _

_ Yuya nods his head as he stares at the light. He never knew that the crystal could look so pretty… _

_ “Yes, Yuya…” Zarc hisses. “Left to right, left to right...watch the pendulum swing back and forth in your mind as you listen to my voice. You have nothing to worry about. I will not hurt you. No, I want to help you.” _

_ That makes sense. If this person was mean or evil, they wouldn’t be helping Yuya calm down. And feeling calm makes him feel very sleepy… _

_ “See how the light shines such a wonderful light in your mind...see how my eyes glow when the pendulum passes it by...isn’t the light beautiful?” _

_ It is beautiful...if Yuya is capable of speaking, he would say it. Instead, he just smiles as everything blends together. Light, eyes, the swinging pendulum, Zarc’s voice… _

_ “You trust me, don’t you? Of course you do...I wish to help you Yuya. I wish to _ love you _ , Yuya…” _

_ Love? Yes, that would be nice to be loved… _

_ “And all you have to do to receive my love, to always be happy and calm and carefree is to stare at the pendant until that is all you can see. Stare at it until all you can hear are my words echoing in your mind. Stare at it until you feel nothing else except this utterly calm feeling deep within your soul.” _

_ Yuya nods his head dumbly, his hands dropping the items to the floor with a *clunk*. But they don’t matter right now...only Zarc’s words… _

_ “That’s it, Yuya. You’re doing such a good job. Let me reward you by giving you a kiss.” _

_ Yuya giggles. Kisses are such a good thing to receive. And he likes doing a good job! _

_ With one hand still swinging the pendulum, Zarc uses his free hand to lift Yuya’s chin up to expose his pale neck. Yes. This one will be perfect. _

_ This poor little lamb needed guidance. And that is what Zarc will give him. _

_ Licking his fangs, Zarc leans close and runs his tongue across a pulsing vein filled with life. _

_ Then, he sinks his fangs deep into Yuya’s neck. _

_ Yuya gasps at the pain but then it quickly becomes numbed by the pretty pretty light. Even as his vision becomes blurry, his mind feels like its spinning and his body hits the floor, all he can think of is that light. _

_ That beautiful, beautiful light…. _

* * *

“Yuya! Yuya, are you all right?”

Yuya’s eyes snap open when he hears someone say his name along with a knock on the door. He looks all around him, trying to find out where is…

It takes him only a second to realize that he is on a soft bed with black and red bed sheets, with dark velvet curtains covering the windows. He is far far away from that nightmare. 

“I...I’m fine,” Yuya answers, wiping the sweat off of his brow. That nightmare again…

“May I come in?” The voice replies.

“No, I...I have to go out anyway,” Yuya mumbles, hastily kicking the sheets off of him and looking at what he is wearing. Blood red silk pajamas. Yes, that’s what he put on before he fell asleep.

Wasting no time, Yuya approaches the door, only to find a boy his height with amethyst eyes and hair sticking out in three colors staring back at him with worry.

“I heard screaming on the other side,” The person says. “Is everything all right?”

“I’m fine, Yugi,” Yuya replies, staring at his...servant? 

No, he never liked calling his thralls that. It made them seem like they were unequal. Friends, perhaps? He did ask them to become his friends when he indoctrinated them…

“Master Yuya?” Yugi asks. “Excuse me?”

Yuya snaps out of his thoughts as he stares into the amethyst eyes of...his helper. Yes, that is the right word for it. “Sorry, Yugi. I was just...thinking again.”

“It was the nightmare, wasn’t it?” Yugi asks, having woken up from the sound of Yuya’s screams to know exactly what is the cause of his master’s troubles. “Forgive me, but…”

“No, it’s okay,” says Yuya, placing a hand over his heart. “Even after all this time...it still hurts.”

“That’s why I’m here,” says Yugi, placing his hands over Yuya’s own. “You saved me all those years ago. Saved me and my brother. We are _ eternally _ grateful to you.”

At those words, Yuya takes a better glance at those empty amethyst eyes, like pools of purple dye where one can just dip a pure strip of cloth into it, soaking it multiple times until it becomes that perfect shade of purple only accessible for royalty. 

A part of him feels guilty in making Yugi into this...but another part reminds him that were it not for the indoctrination, Yugi would not be where he is today. Happy, calm, filled with purpose…

Yuya smiles. “Thank you, Yugi. But I’m not sure how that is going to help me with these nightmares.”

“Perhaps seeing Master Zarc will help,” Yugi suggests with a bright smile on his face. “You always go to him whenever you feel hurt.”

“Yeah, I do…” Yuya sighs, remembering those sessions when Father would brush his hair to help him relax, or run his arms over his bare torso. There were times when Father would kiss him on the cheek, on the forehead, on the lips. Those little expressions were like fireworks going off in his mind, making him feel so calm, so happy...so..._ controlled _…

“Master Zarc is not busy at the moment,” Yugi continues. “So let’s go see him now. I think it would do you some good if you told him about these nightmares.”

“It would…” Yuya whispers with a distant tone of voice. This reminds him of something Father said to him long ago...back when he was still a young child.

_ “Remember, Yuya...if you should wake up with one of those nightmares in mind, you must come to me at once. Only I know how to make them go away. Only I know how to make you smile again…” _

_ Father does... _ Yuya thinks, clutching the chain where a teal crystal hangs over his heart. He has always worn it and whenever he feels down, he will take the chain and let the crystal swing back and forth until all he sees is pure light radiating in his mind. _ He knows how to care for me...he loves me and I love him back… _

Upon seeing the dreamy smile on his master’s face, Yugi beams, his smile stretching wide like dough. He loves it whenever his master is happy and calm. “Are you ready to go?”

Yuya looks up at the question and how Yugi tilts his head whenever he says it. And after some hesitation, Yuya grins.

“I’m ready, Yugi. Take me to Father.”

“Splendid!” Yugi giggles, revealing a pair of fangs. “Let’s hurry at once.”


	2. The Nightmare Encountered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If I win, you come home with me and I will love you and care for you until all of your sadness has been erased,” Yuya continues, letting the pendulum slightly sway from side to side. “If you win then I promise to hand you enough silver to open up your toy shop. Then, I shall leave and never even think about pursuing you ever again. Is that a fair price?”
> 
> “But...what about about -- “
> 
> “Shh, the game is already starting!” Yuya whispers, placing a finger over Yugi’s lips. “Don’t ruin it with such useless chatter unless you want to lose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those who have read my "Mors Omnibus" might know who the person is at the end of this chapter. Just a little easter egg for those who have been caught up with that epic.

_ Well, I wasn’t expecting like this to become so popular so quickly… _

_ So, here’s an earlier than expected first chapter I guess. _

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Chapter 1**

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The Nightmare Encountered**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

_ “No! Please, don’t hurt me!” _

_ Yugi Muto screams this when he sees the crimson eyes of the person in his bedroom. This can’t be possible. How can a vampire be in his bedroom when the door is locked and the windows boarded? _

_ The vampire smiles, drinking in the expression on his prey’s face. He runs a finger down the teal pendulum over his heart, a habit he picked up whenever he and Father go out for a hunt. The simple motion of the finger meeting the cool crystal calms him down, making him focused on the present instead of a dream of having fresh blood trickle down his throat like wine. _

_ “I only want to help you,” The vampire purrs, leaving the bed as he sees Yugi pull out a silver cross from behind his shirt. “I don’t want to hurt you, Yugi-boy…” _

_ “N...no!” Yugi whimpers, still holding onto the cross with a shaking hand. “It’s because of you that my grandpa is...is…” _

_ Yugi shudders as he recalls how he was even in this situation even the first place. He and his brother were waiting for their grandfather to return from visiting a family friend. The two were so concerned for him; it was dangerous to go out in the woods these days with all the vampires in sight. _

_ Even if the old man carried a silver pendant on him for safekeeping -- blessed in the House of the Hunter’s Moon -- that did not necessarily mean full protection from a vampire’s bite. At one time, silver was the bane of a vampire’s existence. Knives crafted from silver were being produced in the blacksmith’s forge, hammered away by silver hammers that could channel lightning if given the chance. Bracelets with emeralds, sapphires and rubies were given as wedding gifts to brides so that they would live to see their wedding day. Merchants always carried at _ least _ thirty pieces of silver to ensure that they had something to toss into the eyes of these bloodsuckers. _

_ These days, silver was becoming harder to find and vampires were becoming harder to kill. So the silver artifact would just be used as a temporary shield until someone could come with hard enough to crack a vampire’s skull in half. _

_ There were some people who suggested replacing silver knives with silver bullets. Except that silver knives could be used multiple times and on multiple targets whereas bullets had a one-time use. After all, who was going to risk pulling out a used bullet out of the body of a vampire? _

_ But that wasn’t what was on Yugi’s mind at this point, as he tried to force himself to remember what happened just an hour ago. When the two brothers heard someone approach their home and knocked on their door. Opening it, they were happy to find that their grandfather was there, safe and sound… _

_ Or not. _

_ When the door was fully opened, they found their grandfather’s body collapsed in front of them, knives sticking out from his back, his cloak stained with fresh blood. And there was a vampire by the name of Trudge who boasted how it was so _ easy _ to overpower the old man and his pathetic pendant before he proclaimed how the two brothers were going to be his next meal. _

_ So while Yami went to work on fighting Trudge, Yugi rushed upstairs to the bedroom, barricaded it with the cabinet filled with vampire-slaying supplies and panted for breath as he hoped and prayed to Saint Rachel Akaba -- or “Ray” as she personally requested -- that his brother would make it out alive and for his grandfather’s soul to ascend into the heavens instead of being trapped in a sickly body that would soon crave the blood of his grandchildren. _

_ And that was when he heard someone laugh and here he was right now, staring eye-to-eye with a red and green haired vampire with eyes red as blood. _

_ But not just _ any _ red and green haired vampire with eyes red as blood...this was Yuya, the son of Zarc, King of Vampires. _

_ “I’m not associated with Trudge,” Yuya whispers, eyes showing sympathy to the spiky-haired boy. “I want to help you.” _

_ “Lies,” Yugi hisses, narrowing his eyes. “Vampires lie to humans all the time. ‘This won’t hurt a bit’. ‘I don’t bite’. ‘Don’t be afraid’.” Yugi clicks his teeth. “If I had a silver coin for every single time I’ve heard a vampire tell me that they weren’t going to hurt me in front of my face, I’d -- “ _

_ “You’d leave the village and run a toyshop of your very own,” Yuya finishes causing Yugi to pause. “I’ve been watching you for quite a while, Yugi-boy...you just want to make people happy with toys and games.” _

_ “You...you’ve been watching me?” Yugi whispers, hand reaching towards the handle of the cabinet. No person these days was not unprepared for a vampire attack. Holy water, a bible, stakes were always kept in the hand in case of an unexpected assault. The prices of garlic were spiked in the market because of how vampires would never go after anyone who had garlic in their bloodstream. Those who worked in the stables have claimed that stunning a vampire with a horseshoe has saved their lives once or twice. _

_ “I have…” Yuya replies, voice soft yet somehow drowning out the noises downstairs. Yugi can feel the beating sensation in his heart become muffled like his mouth is stuffed with cotton. “And I want to free you from your suffering.” _

_ “I’m not suffering!” Yugi replies, shaking his head. _

_ “You are,” Yuya states simply and that is more than enough for Yugi to release his grip on the silver cross. “You’re bullied by the other villagers for your obsession with toys and games while they are all about training people into an army to fight off against Father and his empire. Ha! You win one battle and you think you’ve won the entire war. _

_ “But Father is benevolent and loving and caring…” Yuya’s gaze softens as he places his hand over his precious pendulum. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here today. I could give you the same treatment that he has given me...free you from worries, free you from the death of your grandfather, free you from feeling like you don’t belong…” _

_ Yugi shakes his head. No, it sounds too good to be real. Their words are like honey yet their intentions feels acidic like vinegar. And coming from the son of King Zarc? They’re ten times as bad. _

_ Yuya frowns slightly as he strokes the pendulum lightly before an idea forms in his mind. Yes...this will be exactly what is needed… _

_ “Yugi…” Yuya coos, leaning close and whispering into his prey’s ear. “Shall we...play a game?” _

_ Yugi’s eyes snap open at that. A game…? Vampires can play games? _

_ “Oh, I see you’re interested…” Yuya giggles as he takes hold of the pendulum and pulls it off of his neck. “It’s a very simple game. I’m going to show you this pretty pendulum and the two of us will stare at it as it moves back and forth. Whoever lasts the longest wins!” _

_ Yugi swallows deep as he sees the pendulum then looks back at Yuya. All he has to do is win what is essentially a staring contest? That...sounds too easy. _

_ “If I win, you come home with me and I will love you and care for you until all of your sadness has been erased,” Yuya continues, letting the pendulum slightly sway from side to side. “If you win then I promise to hand you enough silver to open up your toy shop. Then, I shall leave and never even think about pursuing you ever again. Is that a fair price?” _

_ “But...what about about -- “ _

_ “Shh, the game is already starting!” Yuya whispers, placing a finger over Yugi’s lips. “Don’t ruin it with such useless chatter unless you want to lose.” _

_ Yugi swallows hard. For some odd reason, he’s always been able to win at all sorts of games. This was one of the reasons he was bullied by others; there were rumors that someone in the family sold their soul to demons in order to obtain such extraordinary luck. That and their odd hair-styles made them conceived that there was something unnatural about them. _

_ But Yugi doesn’t think about that now. There is a game in progress and he must marshal all of his attention onto it. _

_ He is the King of Games. And he will win this one no matter what. _

_ “Okay then,” Yugi states with renewed determination. “Let’s play.” _

_ Yuya giggles and his eyes glow red. The trap has been set, the game has already been won before it even began. _

_ Now, all Yuya has to do is wait. And if there is one thing that Yuya is good at it, it’s being patient. _

_ Slowly and surely, Yuya swings the pendulum on its thin chain in-between the two, four eyes fixated at its smooth oscillations that seems to make time to slow down. The noises down below do not matter (for Yuya knows that the foolish vampire is going to meet such a gorey demise very soon), all that matters is the space between him and Yugi. _

_ “Take a deep breath and relax yourself…” Yuya whispers, crimson eyes practically glowing from the dim light of the pendulum. “Being agitated won’t let you win this game against me…” _

_ “I’m fine…” Yugi states, intensifying his gaze at the pendulum. “I don’t need your advice…” _

_ “You don’t _ need _ my advice...what you _ need _ is guidance…” _

_ “Guidance?” _

_ Yuya nods his head noticing how Yugi’s amethyst eyes follow the pendulum’s trail of light. Left to right, left to right… _

_ “Yes, guidance,” Yuya repeats. “Someone to guide you as you figure out what happens next. For example, what are you going to do after your grandfather is dead?” _

_ Yugi’s eyes widen. “I...I never thought about -- “ _

_ “You never have to think about it,” Yuya interrupts. “Because you and your brother will stay with me and Father. We will guide you to a new purpose. We will make sure you _ never _ have to feel hurt about your grandfather’s demise. You’ll _ never _ have to think about such horrible things ever again.” _

_ Yugi swallows thickly as he notices something off about the pendulum. Is the light from it becoming...brighter? _

_ He keeps his gaze on the pendulum, watching the light become brighter than the stars or perhaps even the sun as Yuya continues speaking with words smooth like syrup. _

_ “And doesn’t that make you feel so _ happy _ to never ever think again? That you’ll never have to worry about if someone is lying to you because it just _ hurts _ to keep your defenses up like that? You can trust me, Yugi. And you _ will _ trust me from now on...” _

_ Yugi feels like the whole room is spinning, but he rights himself just in time. He has to win this...he must win this game. _

_ “Keep your eyes on the pendulum,” Yuya coos. “The more you stare at it, the better you feel. And the better you feel, the more willing you become…” _

_ “Y...yes…” Yugi replies, eyes still fixated on the pendulum. It’s absolutely pretty, he could just stare at it forever...at the little wings wrapped around the crystal as if to shield away its beauty from those who do not deserve to look at it. _

_ Yugi has been given that chance, even if it’s just for the course of this game. But he wishes to look at it forever and ever and ever and ever… _

_ Yuya chuckles as he pats Yugi’s head. “Hear my voice, fall deeper into the light’s movements. You want to win the game don’t you?” _

_ “I...I do…” _

_ “Then keep staring at the pendulum with everything that you have. Ignore everything else. Ignore the beating of your heart. Ignore the noises down below. Ignore the danger. Ignore the fear you have toward vampire-kind. Ignore everything and stare into the pendulum’s wonderful radiance.” _

_ With each and every word Yuya speaks, Yugi feels like his mind is more focused at what he must do. He must stare into the pendulum’s light. He must be guided by Yuya to get rid of such horrible thoughts. He must ignore what Yuya thinks is absolutely unnecessary. _

_ He must... _ obey _ . _

_ That’s right. This is a game and all games have rules or else that wouldn’t be fun at all! And Yugi like games. He liked playing games and he liked winning them even more. _

_ Ruby eyes shine with victory as amethyst eyes reflect the beautiful teal light from the crystal as Yugi’s body leans against the cabinet door. But he keeps staring at the crystal, keeps staring at what is the only source of light in the room. _

_ “You’re winning, Yugi!” Yuya praises. “Just open up your mind more to the light and you’ll have won.” _

_ “I...won…” Yugi repeats, his voice fading away like his conscious mind. “I….wo….” _

_ That is the last thing he says before his eyes completely close shut. By then, there are no more sounds. There is only Yuya, Yugi and the pendulum. _

_ Yuya smiles as he crouches down, resisting the urge to just drain Yugi of his blood right there and then. No, he needs to make sure that his prey is ready...make sure that his prey isn’t just playing possum. _

_ Heh. Playing. And here Yuya was playing him the entire time. _

_ Brushing that thought aside, Yuya whispers, “Open your eyes.” _

_ Slowly as if the sun is rising, Yugi complies. Yuya then shines the pendulum over Yugi’s eyes once more. _

_ “Let the pendulum wipe away your mind, your sorrows, your fears, your dreams. You do not need those anymore. All you need is guidance, obedience, _ servitude. _ You are mine, Yugi. You are _ mine. _ ” _

_ “I...am yours…” Yugi repeats, having no resistance to Yuya’s words. _

_ Yuya licks his lips as he keeps repeating simple phrases for Yugi to repeat -- “It’s the rules for a game for us to play!” he said before Yugi could have any doubts about what Yuya was truly doing -- and watching as his control becomes absorbed into Yugi’s mind, stitched into his conscious until there is no possible way for it to be removed. _

_ “You trust me. You follow me. You obey me. You think how I want you to think and feel only happiness for doing as you are told.” _

_ Yugi repeats them, never ever conscious or concerned at how he has given himself away. Every repetition is part of the game and every time he repeats these phrases, he shivers in delight. That just means he’s winning! He likes winning! _

_ “With me you are safe. With me you are happy. With me, you are adored and cared for.” _

_ And Yugi complies. That’s all that he can do at this point. _

_ “You and I are going to become best friends, Yugi.” Yuya smirks, licking his fangs. _

_ Friends...Yugi wanted friends. That’s why he played so many games. Games brought people together. Games brought him and _ Yuya _ together… _

_ “Friends stick together no matter what. We’ll _ always _ be together.” _

_ “Together…” Yugi breathes. _

_ “Exactly. Now then, I think we must stop here. But don’t worry, we’ll get to play together very soon.” At the sound of that, Yugi’s lips turn into a smile and his dim amethyst eyes light up with excitement. _

_ “Now, I want you to close your eyes. And when you wake up, you will remember the rules that we went over. Do you understand?” _

_ “Y...yes…” Yugi replies with a simple nod of his head as his eyes begin to close shut. His body is completely relaxed, his breathing shallow, the thoughts in his mind coated in the ink of hypnosis. _

_ Yuya slips the pendant over his heart with a large grin. Father will be so proud of him! His practice is paying off. _

_ All that is left is the final step. _

_ Yuya crouches down like a sleek cat and approaches Yugi. The boy’s pale neck is slightly covered by the chain that holds the cross but that does not matter to him. There is enough space for him to do what needs to be done. _

_ Chuckling to himself, Yuya licks the tips of his fangs as he runs his tongue down Yugi’s neck, grinning at the small shiver that Yugi feels from such an intimate action. Then, Yuya grasps onto Yugi’s shoulders… _

_ And wastes no time biting into Yugi’s neck. _

_ Yugi gasps as he feels something leave him. But that moment is brief, like how a snuffed candle quickly brings about darkness. Then, all he feels is something being taken away from him. Something precious, something warm, something that was _his.

_ “Do not worry about it, Yugi,” A soft caring voice whispers in his ears. “You’re in safe hands.” _

_ Safe and warm and comforting and secure...yes, these hands would protect him, keep him safe. _

_ So Yugi complies and lets those hands keep him guarded from whatever lurks in the darkness. That’s all he has to do. It’s like a game that he must play and he likes playing games! _

_ And he’s still thinking about how much fun this has been as Yuya laps his blood. _

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

“Yugi? We’re here.”

Yugi blinks as he sees that he and Yuya are standing in front of the doors that shall lead them to Zarc’s personal chambers. For some odd reason the walk from Yuya’s room to Zarc’s seemed longer…

Yuya looks at Yugi with a sympathetic look in his eye. “Were you...remembering that night?”

“I was…” Yugi admits, looking slightly forlorn. “But I don’t regret it. You were only doing what was best for me and for my brother.”

Yuya nods his head, feeling relieved that Yugi is back to normal. He then looks at the door and takes a deep breath. Even if he’s never had to deal with his father’s wrath, he always feels like throwing up every single time he’s had to approach these doors.

Yugi knocks on the door twice before stepping back. Two, three, four, five seconds pass and…

“Who wishes ro have an audience with the king?” A voice asks.

“Your son, my king,” Yugi answers swiftly. “It is about his nightmares.”

“...Send him in. Then, you are free to do as you wish.”

“Thank you, my king,” Yugi replies as he grips the iron handle of the door. With a large tug and an unearthly groan, the door opens with enough space for Yuya to enter without worry. Yuya looks into the room and sees the figure of his Father sitting at the edge of his four-poster bed. Zarc turns his golden gaze towards Yuya and he smiles.

“Come to me, my son…” Zarc hisses, beckoning Yuya with a black nail. “Come to me…”

Yuya’s eyes glaze over at the command and he enters the room. It is cold and there is barely any light inside. But he does not need to worry about that at all...he can see his Father’s golden eyes like a beacon guiding him through his worries and fears.

Yugi closes the door, knowing that he is not allowed to view any types of bonding between Father and son. But that is okay. He is free to do as he wishes, which is such a rare treat.

At that, Yugi frowns. He doesn’t get to play games with Yuya these days. It seems as if the nightmares are becoming more and more frequent and there are plenty of issues that the king has to contend to in regards to fellow vampires and humans trying to make more and more lethal weapons to kill everyone. If only there was something he can do to make Yuya smile more...

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Yugi turns around to see his older brother standing in the same spot Yuya was just minutes ago. His brother’s eyes, red just like Yuya’s but darker, deeper and filled with glee in seeing prey squirm when they hunt, stare back at his own.

“I am, Yami,” Yugi answers. “I just want Master Yuya to smile again. He’s hurting on the inside.”

“I agree, _ aibou _,” Yami murmurs, patting his brother’s shoulder. “Which is why I have some spectacular news.”

Yugi’s ears perk up at that. “Like what?”

“I have heard rumors that there is a dollmaker who is known to create constructs for those who seek comfort and companionship,” Yami explains. “She doesn’t set up shop for too long and no one knows where she comes from or where she is heading. But if you happen to find her and impress her, then she will shape a construct to your liking.”

“So you want to give Yuya one of those, correct?”

“And it looks like you want to do the same too.”

“Of course! Master Yuya has been nothing but kind and helpful to us,” Yugi says with a slight giggle, amethyst eyes lost in another dream. “And it would be horrible that, as his friend, I cannot help him.”

“Then we must make haste,” says Yami, handing Yugi a dark cloak with a red and green diamond embroidered on the hood. “The Witching Hour is upon us.”

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

“Madame! Madame Guignol! Wake up!”

“Urgh...what is it now, Aura?”

“Madame, I sense guests coming soon.”

Madame Guignol groans as she rubs the sleep from her eyes, waking herself up from a dream in which she was just about to perform on stage in a brilliant coat and top hat instead of the thin pajamas she is currently clad in. She reaches out toward the silver candlestick by the bedside table and snaps her fingers. Three little flames light up the room as she sees a young girl with curly red hair and bright peridot eyes staring back at her.

“Who dares disturb Madame Guignol’s sleep during the witching hour of all times?” Madame Guignol mutters, blue eyes adjusting to the dim lighting.

“Vampires,” Aura replies, staring at the crystal apple in her hands. “I saw two figures approaching our shop. They have the same hairstyle and…”

“And…”

“They wear cloaks that bear the crest of the Vampire King himself, Zarc!”

At the mention of Zarc, Madame Guignol tosses the sheets off of her and reveals the knife with a silver blade next to her left hand. Through the glow of candlelight, Aura can see Madame Guignol’s short honey colored hair covering one of her eyes like a veil.

“The Vampire King sent messengers to little ol’ me, huh?” she asks. “Hmm...that’s _very_ interesting.”

“Madame, what do we do?” Aura asks, terrified. “We...we…”

“Let’s get the shop ready for these two,” Madame Guignol states with a calm tone of voice. “I’m sure that we will be paid handsomely if we give them what they want.”

“You can’t be serious! We already got in trouble with that stunt you pulled with King Akaba and -- “

“King Aka_bastard_ does not give two flips of a coin as to what we took from them,” Madame Guignol interrupts. “I highly doubt that he even _ cares _ about that subject.”

Aura flicks her eyes towards the diary resting on a chair in the corner. “You don’t care about that subject either...except for what you can gleam from their construction.”

“And how I haven’t gotten sleep in a _ fortnight _thanks to the racket they make,” Madame Guignol adds. “But perhaps those vampires would like them instead. What do you say, Aura? Shall we invite those two in for tea and sandwiches?”

Aura gulps when she sees Madame Guignol’s mouth turned into one of those grins that reads, “I’m going to love watching everything collapse into a bonfire”. It always spells trouble.

But, then again, getting paid for their service to whatever Zarc wanted with them would protect them from King Akaba and his zealots if they played their cards right….

Aura nods her head and returns the smile with one of her own, like a cat sleeping underneath the sun. “Let’s do it, Madame Guignol.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Madame Guignol chuckles, hopping out of bed. “Hurry! We need to get dressed and wake everyone up before they arrive. The House of the Grand Puppet has some guests to entertain!”

She then picks up the knife and twirls it round and round in her hand, leaving a dizzying spiral of silver between her nimble fingers.

“And a personal request to make while we’re at it.”


	3. The Nightmare Enslaved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zarc continues to swing the pendulum as Yuya’s jaw drops and a trickle of drool forms at the corner of his lips. Slowly but surely, the dream is becoming out of reach once more.
> 
> ...Just as it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Warning: NSFW with a sex scene between adult and a 15 year old boy)
> 
> Also would like to give a shot-out to darkangelwitck on this site as this chapter being written is a thank you after all the work I've done for her story "Kingdom from the Ashes, Rise."

_ Warning: This is the chapter where we will have Zarc and Yuya “play paddycake”. Be warned. Be WARNED. _

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Chapter 2**

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The Nightmare Entranced **

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

Zarc takes a good at his son entering his bedchambers, the boy’s blood-red eyes glazed over as they usually are whenever Zarc asks Yuya to enter alone. The light of the crimson candles flicker ever so subtly, moving around light and shadow, illuminating Yuya’s beautiful face, bathing it with golden light. The candlelight gives a soothing atmosphere to the place, helping Yuya’s mind fall even deeper into the trance. 

It has been quite some time since Zarc laid eyes Yuya for the first time, performing a show in the open theater, his eyes so full of life and with such a beautiful smile on his face as he basked in the praise of the audience...he simply _ had _to have this boy for himself.

Attacking his parents after the performance was over was a no-brainer. And the child was so innocent and trusting, simply looking at him warmed Zarc’s unbeating heart. But those tears...no, the boy had to smile, _ always _ smile, be forever happy! 

So after a simple swing of the pendulum and a bite, Zarc took the smiling child under his wing, and raised him as the Prince of Vampires. 

But it wasn’t easy to make Yuya fully believe in this little lie, at least not for long. Sometimes Yuya would wake up screaming, crying out for people that Zarc had no doubt were his friends and birth parents. And that just wouldn’t do. Not at all. 

So Zarc tried everything at his disposal to keep the child’s mind from fully remembering and reaching out to these people. He wanted to be Yuya’s entire world, the only person he loves with all his heart. And who would be foolish enough to try to wrest Yuya away from the King of Vampires?

Of course, Yuya had to be integrated into vampire society, learning the proper way to greet the other royal families and learning to love the taste of human blood, and it was done successfully. Even as a vampire, he just had this charm that made others love him so much. He still has that desire to make others happy and combined with a vampire’s natural charisma, he is able to draw love and attention like moths to a flame.

Perfect to attract prey for him to feast on.

Despite this, even with Yuya getting to know the more influential vampires in the country, Zarc always keeps an eye on him. Yuya is never far from his sight or from the thralls who served under his command. And whenever he gets too out of line -- like he starts recalling something familiar -- Zarc has no choice but to keep his pretty little treasure in line.

In the beginning, Zarc had to put Yuya in his trance at least two or three times a week to ensure that he had complete control over him. Now he only needed to hypnotize the boy whenever any of those…”nightmares” resurfaced.

Zarc is no fool; there is no way to completely erase the boy’s past. All he can do is make sure Yuya doesn’t remember the more _ important _ details or pick up quirks from his past life.

So far, he has been successful. Yuya can’t remember faces or names of those significant to him and if they appear in his mind, they are to be forgotten as fast they appeared. Yuya thinks of himself as a pure vampire instead of a human child, loving to control the shadows and to transform into a pretty red cat with equally red eyes when he wanted to explore outside the castle walls. And Yuya is utterly obedient and loyal to Zarc and Zarc alone. Only trusts and _ loves _Zarc. 

And the Vampire King just hopes that it _ stays _that way. He will ensure it, he will not easily let go of someone as precious as Yuya. Anyone who dares to even think of taking the boy would face Zarc’s unbridled wrath. 

Zarc sighs as Yuya stops in front of the bed, body completely relaxed, eyes unfocused, candle light flickering over his face. The vampire king chuckles as he leaves the bed and approaches his son. Alone in his room with only red candles to illuminate them, the shadows dance and highlight the entranced look on Yuya’s face.

“My beautiful blood ruby,” Zarc coos, placing his hand on Yuya’s cheek. “Oh dear, are those dreams bothering you again?”

“...Yes, Father,” Yuya answers, voice void of emotion, but leans into Zarc’s touch as he learned to do so long ago.

“Hmm…” Zarc hums, running a hand down his son’s face. “Can you describe what was in the dream, exactly?” His voice is calm and soothing, husky, a whisper, as if being there is their secret in a world all their own away from anyone else. No danger, no sadness, no fear, only Zarc. 

This is how it always starts out. Zarc could usually tell how to proceed after figuring out what Yuya was able to discern from his nightmares. He kisses the boy’s forehead, lingering there for a few seconds, the child sighs in contentment. 

Yuya slowly nods his head, his mouth dry. “I...I think I was looking at two people lying on the floor. I called them ‘Mommy’ and...‘Daddy’...”

Zarc tilts his head to the side. “Why would you call them that? You know that _ I _am your Father, correct?”

“I...I don’t know,” Yuya answers truthfully. “I remember feeling hurt and scared and about to cry...those people...they were bitten by vampires and… and drained of their blood.”

“I see. What happens next?”

Yuya pauses for a second or two, trying to remember the dream like he's trying to gather fog into his hands, before continuing. “I go upstairs to my home…”

“Your _ home _?” Zarc chuckles as he runs a finger down Yuya’s pendulum. “You are home right now, my son. My palace that watches over the kingdom that will be ours to rule one day.” Yuya nods. “Continue.”

“I...go upstairs to the...house in my dream…” Yuya says, recalling as many details as possible before they disappear. “I’m...supposed to retrieve something. Something...important.”

“Why?”

“Because vampires are…” Yuya winces, feeling like someone is about to split his head into two. “They’re…they're...”

“Scary? Dangerous? Monstrous?” Zarc suggests, taking the chain that holds the pendulum into the air. The crystal begins to glow slightly, causing Yuya’s attention to drift onto it. “What do you think?”

Yuya whimpers, eyes fixated on the pendulum.. “I...I…”

“Shh, you’re not supposed to think right now. my Yuya, so don’t think...just watch,” Zarc coos, taking the pendulum carefully from Yuya’s neck and raises it over his head. “Watch as the pendulum swings back and forth, left to right, left to right…” 

“Left...right...left...right…” Yuya replies, following the pendulum’s smooth movements, the light of the pendulum enhanced by the candles. Crimson eyes dart back and forth, back and forth, left to right, left to right…left...to...ri…

Zarc continues to swing the pendulum as Yuya’s jaw drops and a trickle of drool forms at the corner of his lips. Slowly but surely, the dream is becoming out of reach once more.

...Just as it should be.

“That dream is such a bother, isn’t it?” Zarc whispers with concern, running a hand across Yuya’s face. Yuya doesn't register it at all, his mind floating high into the clouds and following the light of the pendulum. “It keeps you up, it frightens you, makes you cry out in pain. It shouldn’t...nothing should make you feel hurt or scared or sad, my dearest.”

Yuya just stands there, absorbing his Father’s words, shivering when Zarc places a kiss on his lips.

“I have tried so much to make you forget it,” Zarc sighs, petting Yuya's head. “Yet something or some_ one _ is insistent on making you remember such hurtful things.I cannot allow that to happen,” he says firmly.

Yuya makes no sound. He has not been commanded to speak, only to look at the pendulum like it is his entire world. 

Zarc smirks as he leans close and whispers in Yuya’s ear. “Now now, my Yuya, you want to forget the dreams don’t you? You want to listen to father’s words always, be in my arms always, listen and obey me for eternity. Don’t you?”

Yuya nods. He listens to Father, obeys his Father.

“Then forget about the dream just like any other dream," Zarc commands, wanting to get to the source of the problem and cut it off before it gets worse. "The dreams, the memories just fade away, and you can’t recall them no matter what you try. Yes, from now on, every single time you wake up from that dream, you are to forget it.”

“Forget...the dream…” Yuya slurs.

“Yes...the dream is not important. The dream is painful, agonizing, hurtful...no, my son should always be happy, smiling, _ blissful _…”

Yuya smiles. Yes, he must always be happy…Father loves it whenever he’s happy...Father loves it when he stares into the pendulum and he follows his Father’s words…

“Yes…” Zarc purrs, keeping the pendulum swinging. “Now Yuya, when I count down to one, close your eyes, let your mind be open to my words, my voice, my love, my control. Forget the dream, forget your fear, forget everything else...forget…”

“Forget…” Yuya repeats. “For...get...For...g...e…t..”

“3...2...1…”

Then, Yuya’s eyes shut and his head snaps down. Zarc licks his fangs as he lets go of the pendulum. Perfect.  
  


Zarc takes his son and sits him down upon his four-poster bed, covered in black sheets like shadows. Zarc hovers over him, licking his fangs. "Open your eyes for me and answer my questions truthfully."

(He knows that Yuya will always answer his questions honestly. He has been commanded to never ever lie)

Yuya opens his eyes, empty red orbs looking off into the distance. His face is empty of emotions and is only waiting for whatever to follow any command his Father wants of him. He feels calm, tranquil, at peace. No worries, no fears, no insecurities to harm him. No nightmares to disturb him.

“My beautiful blood ruby,” Zarc coos, licking the shell of Yuya’s ear, making the boy shiver but otherwise Yuya's face is placid. “You love me, right?” 

“Yes Father…” Yuya whispers, the expression on his face never changing.

Zarc rests his hands on the top button of Yuya’s pajama top before placing a few featherlight kisses on his cheek. “You’d do anything for Father, won’t you?” 

“Anything…” Yuya answers. _He will do anything for his Father._

“Because you love Father?” Zarc asks, swiftly unbuttoning the boy’s top until he pulls it off and tosses it to the floor.

“I...love...Father…” _Yuya loves and adores his Father._

“You worship me, you trust me, you _ obey _ me...correct?” Zarc's tongue licked down Yuya’s chest, making the boy gasp. “I am your world. Nothing else comes first.”

“Nothing else...comes first.” _No one else comes before Father._

“Tell me, Yuya...how much...do you...love me?” Zarc whispers, accentuating every word with a kiss to the boy’s ear, before taking the lobe into his mouth and sucking.

Yuya gasps, head thrown back. “I...I love you...so much, Father…”

“Not enough~” Zarc teases, hands roaming around Yuya’s pale chest and resting on one of his nipples. “You need to do better than that if you want more…”

With a firm twist, Yuya moans and pants. He wants more, he wants more, he wants more...moremoremoremoremoremoremore…

“We don’t continue until I get what. I. want.” Zarc hisses. “So tell me, Yuya...how much do you _ love me _?”

“So..much, so...so much, my love burns like the brightest stars for you. You are my...everything...Father. My entire world, my only,” Yuya whimpers, wanting the pleasure, the pain, the feeling of everything being so _ good _. _These are things Father and only Father can give him._

“Just as it should be,” Zarc states, licking Yuya’s ear and twisting the hardened nipple in his hand. “Good, good boy~” 

As Yuya gasps and whimpers, Zarc continues speaking commands into his son’s ear. “You are mine Yuya, for all eternity, my beautiful obedient child.”

“Yes...Father…” Yuya replies, his mind only absorbing the words and sensations. “I...am...yours…”

“Repeat,” Zarc states, now going after Yuya’s other nipple with a painful squeeze. Yuya squeals in reply. “With each repetition it becomes more and more true. With every sensation of pleasure you remember these words. Every time you hear these words, you will remember and feel this pleasure. Pleasure that only _ I _ can give you; pleasure that you will beg for.”

“F...Father…” Yuya gasps. “I...I...am yours…I am yours…”

The only sounds in the room for the next few minutes is Yuya repeating those words over and over and over again while Zarc lowers his lips so he can lick the back of Yuya’s neck, his fingers now stroke Yuya’s pale stomach and then resting onto his hips.

“Do you want more?” asks Zarc.

“More...more...please more...moremoremoremoremore…” Yuya is not even aware of what he is saying, but he knows that he wants Father’s touch and voice and pleasure and everything….

“And I will give you more,” Zarc vows. “Only _ I _ can give you more, only I will _ ever _ give you more, as long as you remember, as long as these words are burned into your mind, heart and soul. You are _ mine _.” 

With this, Zarc places Yuya on the bed, resting the boy’s head on the pillows. Yuya is in a daze, not even aware of what is about to happen. He shivers slightly, but that is because of how his father pulls off his pajama bottoms and underwear, leaving him completely exposed.

Yuya shivers, half hard and wonton. He pants, reaching for his father. Father’s touch, Father’s skin, lips and tongue covering him in so much pleasure that he doesn’t even know what to do with it.

“Father…” Yuya whines, crimson eyes glowing with lust and need. “Father~”

“All in good time, my love,” Zarc chuckles, glad that he is also not wearing a shirt tonight. “Now, like what you see?”

“Beautiful, Father, you are so beautiful so ...perfect.” Yuya's hands rise to Father’s face. “Sculptured by the gods you are,” he says with an adoring smile so full of devotion. “I am so blessed by you Father, so _ blessed _.”

Zarc shivers at his son's praise and licks his fangs. His hand travels down the boy's body, down his chest and falls down to his his hips and leg, where his thumb draws circles on the inside of his thigh. 

Yuya whines and arches his back. Father's touch just feels so _ wonderful _. "More, please more... Father." And he hears father's melodic and hypnotic voice chuckle in delight. 

Father's lips once more whisper in Yuya's ear, cooing softly. "Yes my ruby, I'll give you more, I'll satisfy you. I always do. And all you have to do is proclaim your love and devotion to me," he licks the shell of Yuya's ear. "The more you proclaim your love the more my touches will increase, become intensified more and more." 

Yuya gasps as Father's other hand takes the nipple between his thumb and foreigner and squeezes rolling the little nub. 

"I want your love for me burned into your very soul." Zarc growls.

Yuya moans. "It is! It is!" Father's tongue swirls around his nipple, coating it with saliva. It's so sensitive and Yuya thrashes around, wanting more. “Ahhhh….yes….”

Zarc grins as he places Yuya’s hands over his chest. “Go on...play with me~”

Yuya shivers, licking his fangs in delight before his hands starts roaming Father’s chest. He quickly sits up, his lips trailing down, his tongue licking the pale skin, before latching onto one of his Father’s nipples and sucking on it.

“Ohhhh…” Zarc shivers, leaning his head back. “So good, Yuya...I’ve taught you well.”

Yuya moans at the praise, his tongue swirling around the nub, loving it when Father praises him for a job well done _(You love being praised by your Father. Praise makes you feel more pleasure. Tne more pleasure you feel, the more you want to obey in order obtain more praise)._ Zarc wastes no time in latching one of Yuya’s legs over his shoulders, licking the boy’s inner thigh in anticipation for what is to come.

Yuya’s hands trail down Father’s toned arms, before he raises his head and places a kiss on his Father’s lips, tongue traced over the bottom lip as if he is licking a delicious cherry lozenge Father gave him long ago. He looks up into his Father’s eyes, crimson eyes needy, fangs sticking out as he feels the need to drink. 

“May...may I drink Father?” Yuya asks huskily. 

Zarc trails down a finger nail down his chest, making a cut, and guides Yuya’s head to it, Yuya’s lips latch on to it, tongue licking and lips kissing the cut hungrily. Yuya has fed on many vampires before, but Father’s blood is always the most delicious, most tantalizing, most intoxicating of them all.

“Yummy~” Yuya coos, lapping as much blood as he could before the cut closed. “So good,” he says and places more kisses on Zarc’s chest. “Father’s blood is so _ gooood _….”

“And now that you’ve fed, permit me to take a taste of yours?” Zarc asks, his voice sweet as honey.

Yuya nods his head as he guides Zarc towards his neck, tilting it back so Father could have more access. Zarc chuckles; it never gets old to feed on his son’s blood.

Yuya moans as soon as Father’s teeth sink in. As Father sets to work on drinking, Yuya’s hands trail down Father’s hips before one latches onto Zarc’s hardened cock, giving it a gentle stroke.

Zarc moans, licking up every drop of blood flowing down Yuya’s neck. “Mmmm, good boy,” he purrs as his own hands trail up Yuya’s leg and thigh. “Now then, eyes on me.”

Yuya mewls when Father starts stroking him, bucking his hips slightly as he continues his own all while looking into Zarc’s golden orbs. They are the only thing that shines within the black shrouds that cover the bed.

The next few minutes are filled with grunts and moans and sighs from the two as they keep stroking each other to a climax. Yuya’s eyes are locked into his Father’s own, seeing them shimmer and shine and glow until all he can see is gold, wondrous gold, beautiful gold, goldgoldgold_ gold _….

“That’s it, my little ruby,” Zarc hisses, close to coming undone. “Now then, with my kiss, let your worries, your thoughts, your fears, your nightmares...let them disappear into the night. I love you…”

Then, Zarc places a kiss on Yuya’s forehead and something inside Yuya snaps. The boy shudders and gasps as he releases with a moan, hot seed spraying over his and Father’s chest. With a sigh, Zarc releases throwing his head back as he relishes in the afterglow of their little ritual. 

Yuya then flops onto the bed, hand still on his Father’s erection as he pants for breath. Zarc had released all over him, and he feels so happy that he gave Father this pleasure.

“Do you want more, little ruby?” Zarc chuckles, gathering some of his son’s seed and licking it.

“N...no…” Yuya sighs. He would be lying if he said he wanted to continue, but he has to be honest to his Father. “Wanna...sleep...here…”

Zarc hums, noticing how Yuya’s eyes are about to shut. Zarc chuckles as he runs a hand through Yuya’s hair. “Very well my dear, here, sleep in Father’s arms.”

Yuya goes to him, wraps his arms around him, and nuzzles to Father’s chest, pressing his hips against Father’s. Seconds later, all that is heard is Yuya’s soft breathing as Father runs his claws down Yuya’s back, his mouth whispering sweet words of nothingness.

Zarc carries on his usual ritual, as he whispers commands into Yuya’s ears, filling his empty mind. He wants to ensure that the spell is never broken, make sure he doesn't even have the slightest chance of losing his precious boy. 

“You love being here in my arms, you love being obedient to me and me alone, you belong to me, just as I belong to you…We will always be together, nothing will ever tear us apart, Father is the most important person to you. There is no one in the world that you love more, just being in my arms gives you so much pleasure, fills you with need only Father can quench.” 

Zarc’s hands roam all over the sleeping boy’s body, hands trailing down Yuya’s shoulders, arms, hips, giving pleasure with every word, every command spoken. And as Zarc continues his commands, Yuya smiles, happy that he is with Father, happy that Father is the only person in his life.

Just as it should be.

Zarc gives Yuya’s lips one last kiss before falling to sleep himself, smiling at how his world is absolutely perfect as it is.

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

“All right, that should do it.”

Aura sighs as she sits down on a wooden chair. She and Madame Guignol have finished preparing the tent for their guests. Every single puppet is on display, eyes wide with excitement to be picked up and given to a boy or girl who needs company, dressed in their finests garments, hair decorated with ribbons and clips and flowers and all sorts of shiny baubles that glitter in the light.

Every single puppet...except one.

The only one that is not smiling is the one that hides in the darkness, hugging his knees to his chest. He bends his head low, not wanting to talk to anyone. The only motion that he makes is a slight shiver and the only sound he makes is a sniffle. He doesn’t talk to anyone, doesn’t look at anyone, doesn’t move at all. 

No one even knows what to call him, except Madame Guignol and even then the name isn’t very flattering.

“Plaguespreader”.

When Madame Guignol first found him, he looked too much like a skeleton than a human. It was hard figuring out just what to feed him as he rejected every single item she could think of that children liked: bread topped with sugar crust, slices of cheese, apples. It wasn’t until she somehow lost him in someone else’s garden that she figured out what to give him...after she paid the poor housewife for everything Plaguespreader devoured.

On a plate next to him is a bowl of tomatoes and eggplants and peppers. Only Madame Guignol is allowed to give him this food, and she is happy to find that Plaguespreader finished them off when she comes to see him in the evening. At least he likes vegetables.

Madame Guignol takes note of the clock on the wall, carved from ebony and painted with white stripes like a circus tent and covered in red ribbon. On the clock’s ivory face are little black stars and a crescent moon, the hands showing that it is almost 3:30 in the morning.

“Are you sure they’re coming?” A puppet with red hair and golden eyes questions. She wears a gossamer dress of pink, silver and cyan scales. She even wears a matching sash around her hair that undulates whenever she runs about. “I wanna be sleeping in my tank again…”

“They’ll be here soon enough, Allie,” Madame Guignol answers. “You’ll get to sleep with the fishes again after this is over.”

“Yay!” Allie giggles. Just then, she looks up. “Someone’s coming!”

The other puppets look in alarm and excitement. They have to be good for such distinguished guests. Aura looks into her crystal apple, eyes focusing on the image inside.

The image is...quite interesting to say the least.

“Places everyone!” says Madame Guignol states, clapping her hands. “It’s showtime!”

The puppets giggle to themselves as they all stand in a line, hands behind their backs. All except Plaguespreader, who is still in his little dark corner. 

The flaps of the tent open and in appear two cloaked figures with hair styles that look so striking that it’s impossible to think that they didn’t appear from something otherworldly. Madame Guignol takes note of the symbol on the cloaks, the eye colors, the fact that they have fangs. Oh, this will be fun.

“Welcome to the Grand Guignol, home of grand puppets and grander dreams,” she says with a bright smile on her face. “How can I help you today?”


	4. The Nightmare Blooming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Yami find themselves adopting a Plaguspreader.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my new co-creator Azure_Witch13 for getting this new chapter up. Hope you like!
> 
> Azure here, Hi guys ^^ Was happy to help on this chapter, we actually wrote it today. We're planing on several other AUs aside from the ones we already wrote, so if you like our writing, stay tuned to that. We hope you like this chapter

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Chapter 3**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The Nightmare Blooming**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

_ “All right, boy. Be still as we give you your shots.” A man in shadow silhouette says, a voice far too familiar to the boy. Voices and faces blend in his mind, but all he feels is pain, whether it feels like hot fire going through his veins, feeling his skin too hot to the point that it seems as if it’s melting or feeling as if he can’t breathe anymore. Day in and day out nothing new but a new brand of pain and even after so long, every kind of pain is now far too familiar to him _

_ His only comfort is the sunlight that peeks through the high window of his room. He reaches out for it, how futile it is just to feel that warmth even for a few seconds. He is sometimes given books to read -- encyclopedias about all types of plants -- and wishes that he could see them in person. _

_ “No...no...please no,” He begs, his voice shaky and afraid. Even if he had felt the pain before, he still doesn’t like it. The young boy struggles against the man, as futile as it might be, but he doesn’t want to get injected again, he hates it, hates it so much, please, please stop! Someone stop! _

_ “This is for the benefit of humanity, boy,” The scientist with the syringe says. “You will be the first of what will be the cure of all vampires, their deaths. People will praise you for what you’ve undergone for us.” _

_ The boy hates it, hates being fed poisons, hates the chances he gets to go outside to look at the pretty flowers and butterflies only for them to suddenly wilt when he breathes on them. Hates how his blood constantly burns in his veins. It hurts, it always hurts. He wants it all to stop, for some angel to take away to a garden where nothing is poisonous, the sun always shines on him, and there are no needles in sight. _

_ “Stop…” The boy whimpers, tears forming in his puffy pink eyes. "I don’t...I don’t want this!” _

_ “No one wants to be vampire food, do they?” A scientist replies cynically. _

_ “Stop,” a voice says. It comes from a woman in a lab coat approaching the boy strapped to the table, with short honey colored hair and a stoic look on her face. _

_ “What? What’s the meaning of this? Why should I stop?” the man asks, glaring at the woman. _

_The woman just continues speaking. “I am authorized to take the...subject with me to another lab.” _

_ “By whose authority?” _

_ “Oh, well...by mine!” She says with a grin on her face and suddenly an explosion is heard outside, before the woman kicks the doctor in the gut and pulls out a scalpel from the sleeve of her coat, stabbing him in the eye with a scream. _

_ “You bitch!” The doctor, Adrian Gecko snarls, hand covering the wounded eye. “Who the hell are you?” _

_ “Oh tut tut, did your mother never teach you manners?” The woman scientist replies while looking at the other scientists who are ready to tackle her to the ground. She then grabs the boy and drags him to her side. Thankfully she is wearing gloves to protect her hands from his skin. The boy still whimpers all the same._

_ “Take your hands off him!” A second scientist snaps. He has black hair tied into a ponytail and spectacles covering his eyes (which are shut for some very odd reason. Perhaps light sensitivity?) _

_“Don’t think so," The woman says with a smirk. "Come one step closer and I’m punching this kid in the gut and poisoning the air in this room. And besides, Kagemaru is not gonna be happy if the _other_ specimens_ _get loose, will he?”_

_ “Why you,” Viper growls at her before he chuckles. “Well, it seems as if you forgot something. You’re surrounded! It’s three against one, and you won’t last long with this poisonous brat by your side.” _

_ The mysterious woman just laughs.“Well then, why don’t we get out of this place, shall we?” she tells the boy with a grin on her face, and a splash of blood on her cheek. _

_ She takes something from her coat pocket, a small glass container, and grins before throwing it at the three scientists. The bottle explodes, unleashing a gas that makes the three of them cough while she lays the boy back on the operating table and pushes it out of the laboratory, grabbing a seemingly important book from the side. Once the table is out, she slams the door shut and runs away, pushing the cart with the boy still lying on it. _

_ “Please…” the boy croaks. “Please don’t hurt me…” _

_ The woman smiles. “Hush now you, I’m not gonna hurt you. Now let's just get away from these guys. We’re gonna give you a nice home, some friends and a bit of sunshine.” _

_ “But I might...hurt them…” _

_ “Hmm, we’ll think of something then. Now hold on tight.” _

_ The boy says nothing as the lady passes by multiple students and personnel running for their lives. For the time being, he is safe. And he will relish in this safety for as long as possible. _

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

The first things Yugi and Yami saw when they reached the tent was that it was...normal. Nothing outside of it screamed magic, or rare items or any of the rumors that have been passed down by the villagers. It was simply a well made small-ish tent that didn’t seem out of the ordinary in a place like this. 

All of that changed when they actually entered the tent.

Instead of seeing blankets and supplies for a few day’s travel, the interior looks like a cross between a workshop and a theater! There are at least seven or eight children applauding the two in their colorful costumes sewn with such a loving hand. And in the center of them all is Madame Guignol in a long blue flowing cloak decorated with golden coins and a large cross in the center. 

“Welcome to the Grand Guignol!” She greets with a bow. “What can I do for two handsome gentlemen like you?” 

“So, you’re Madam Guignol?” Yugi asks. He has heard rumors of her being a bewitching and spiteful being, turning people into puppets if they didn't not praise her enough. From her smile and gestures, Yugi can believe in half of those rumors. 

“I am indeed,” Madame Guignol replies. “Now then, you’re here for something unique, grand, magnificent. Yes, yes, I know. Now then, what do you want?”

“A companion,” Yami answers simply. “But not for us.”

The puppeteer looks Yami up and down before giving a smirk. “Yes, I can tell furniture such as yourself don’t need such frivolities.”

“F...Furniture?” Yugi asks and Yami narrows his eyes.

“Servants, those who are there to support the lords and ladies of the manor,” Madame Guignol elaborates as she points to a table that holds a crystal vase where a bouquet of blue and white carnations bloom. “Not everyone is equal. Everyone wants to be a flower, but no one wants to be the vase. Everyone wants to be a lion, yet no one wants to be the rabbit who fills its stomach.” 

Yami’s eye twitches. “I see. How brave of someone like you to be displaying your best furniture to us.”

The puppets gasp in horror while Madame Guignol clicks her teeth as she places her hands behind her back, pulling out her silver dagger tucked in her sleeve.

“Ah, someone’s a comedian,” Madame Guignol snarks. 

“Let’s not get into fights,” Yugi whispers, ever the pacifist between him and Yami interrupts before anything could truly start. “We _ are _ here for a companion for our master.”

Guignol raises an eyebrow. “For what purpose? All furniture has purpose and some of them are used for different...activities.”

Yugi turns bright red at that part. “J...just a friend. Our master has been lonely, plagued by nightmares for so long.”

“Then go buy a dream catcher instead of coming to me,” Guignol responds. "I deal with puppets not dreams."

“Isn’t that a bad business strategy on your part?” Yami asks with a smirk. 

“Yami, that’s not the time,” Yugi pleads. “Like we said, Madame Guignol. He’s very lonely; we just want a companion to spend his days with and have fun instead of worrying.” 

“Does this person have a name?” Madame Guignol questions, noticing the crest on the cloaks. “That starts with ‘Z’ and ends with ‘arc’?”

“It’s not for his highness, no, it’s for his son,” Yugi explains, knowing there is no need to hide who they are, their clothes give them away easily.

“Son?” The puppets gasp, huddling in fear. 

“Since when did Lord Zarc have a son? And who did he steal the boy from?” Madame Guignol questions.

“He’s had the boy before we were hired,” Yami answers.

“He looks about fourteen in human years," Yugi elaborates. "So do you have something for him?” 

“I do, I do. But what exactly does this ‘son’ like?” Madame Guignol inquires. Something seems suspicious. Lord Zarc, last she heard, did not have any plans of having an heir. Something, or someone, must have changed his mind.

“Well, he’s very charismatic, always likes to perform and put smiles on people around him, pretty energetic too…” Yami starts while Yugi senses something and starts walking deeper into the shop, in the back he hears a whimper, and something like a plate being moved. 

Yugi walks closer, trying to figure out what secrets hide within this tent. If it's dangerous, he can subdue it easily, but what exactly would Madame Guignol have that she wouldn't want anyone else to see?

“Hello?” Yugi whispers. “Anyone there?”

He hears another whimper and some shifting around as an answer. Yugi follows the sound till the end and eyes widen at what he sees as he goes in deeper, a boy with purple and pink hair, huddled in the corner.

“Oh? You’re interested in Plaguespreader?”

Yugi turns and sees the girl with red hair and a black bow, adorned in a purple dress with a crystal apple in her hands standing next to him.

Guignol and Yami enter after Yugi. “Did you find something, Yugi?” Yami asks 

Yugi nods his head with a smile and points at the small boy. "Who is this boy?"

Guignol sighs as she looks down at him. “Plaguespreader. Poor boy was being experimented on by the hands of Professor Akaba as a ‘biological weapon’ against vampires. And by that, it was through ‘feeding him and injecting him with different poisons over and over again for most of his life.’”

“You really named him Plaguespreader? That’s a horrible name. Can’t you give him a proper one?” Yugi asks, looking at the poor thing. 

“Well that’s the problem; he never had a name in the first place. Although…” Guignol looks down as a boy with violet hair in a ponytail hands her a leatherbound journal. She flips the journal until she stops at an ink illustration of a flower. “Whoever wrote this had an eye of attention. Gotta say that they could’ve become an illustrator.”

“A lily flower?” Yami asks, looking at the sketch in the book.

“That’s it,” Yugi says with a smile, ”We’ll call him 'Lily'.”

“Are you two really sure you want him?" Guignol asks. "Like I said he was made to kill vampires in mind, it could be dangerous. And if Lord Zarc traced the transaction back to me, well, I’m gonna be cursing you two with my dying breath.” 

“We’re sure, we want him,” Yugi reaffirms. 

“Aibou?” Yami asks. 

“Look at his face, Yami,” Yugi whispers and Yami’s eyes widen. When Lily turns to the people talking about him, his pink eyes puffy with tears, the two brothers could see a face similar to _ Yuya’s _ staring back at him.

"It truly does look like..." Yami then looks at Guignol and nods. “Yes we’ll take him, and we’ll just make sure not to drink his blood if that’s where most trouble is for us.”

“Oh it’s more than that,” Guignol says, skimming through the journal. “His very breath and skin are also said to be poisonous. It’s strong enough to kill plants, insects and the occasional lizard but I highly believe that prolonged exposure will make people carriers of his disease and...well, do you _really_ want to relive the Black Plague?”

“Hmm, perhaps there is a way to...purify him of sorts,” Yami suggests.

“Oh I don’t know. You boys got any horn of the unicorn lying around in those kitchens you slave away at?”

“Are you being serious or sarcastic I can’t actually tell,” Yugi asks.

“Yes.” Madame Guignol answers.

“Alright, how much for him?” Yami asks just wanting to get out of this place, and get Yuya his present.

“It depends. First, I’m on the run from Akaba and his scientists. Second, again, if anything bad happens due to this pink lily then this is on my head.”

“It’s fine, we’ll make sure nothing comes back to you, we’ll remove the poison from him somehow,” Yugi answers. “Maybe the king will have some ideas too,” he says and goes to the boy extending his hand. “Come on Lily, we promise not to hurt you,” he says softly and waits for the boy to take his hand. 

Lily pauses and shakes his head. “No…”

“Not even for all the tomatoes, eggplants and peppers in the world?” Guignol asks.

“It’s okay Lily, we’re going to give you a nice place to stay, and a friend who can stay with you, and anything you want to eat, doesn't that sound nice?” asks Yugi.

“They’ll...they’ll hate me. They’ll get hurt. Everyone does in the end.” Lily answers.

“No, they won’t. It’s okay, poor thing. No one will harm you again, we promise.” 

"..."

"Please Lily..." Yugi begs, wanting to take the boy into his arms and take away all his troubles right there and now.

“So…” says Guignol, turning to Yami. “Describe the _ physical _ appearance of Zarc’s son.”

“Hmm, well the boy looks about fourteen, green locks on top of red ones, crimson eyes,” Yami answers.

“He’s a really nice prince, and will like you a lot,” Yugi adds. “In fact, I think you could pass off as his brother!” 

“Brother? Seriously?” Guignol asks. 

“Yes they have the same face. Strangely enough, they both look very much like Lord Zarc.” 

“Oh, that makes things interesting,” Guignol remarks. “Good thing Akabastard doesn’t know about Yuya else he probably would’ve swapped Lily with Yuya and experimented on the poor prince till he dropped dead...and then resulting in so many casualties that would turn the rivers red with blood and so many bodies burned to a crisp and -- “

“We’ll be taking Lily with us now,” Yami growls.

“But I haven’t even got paid yet,” Guignol replies, poking Yami with a finger. “No payment, no lily.”

“Fine, what do you want for him?” Yami says, resisting the urge to drink her blood.

Aura interrupts them with a gasp. “Someone is coming,” she says, staring at her crystal apple.

“Who is it now?” asks Guignol. “Especially this late at night?”

“Um...it’s female and they’re just coming here with flips and kicks and -- “

Suddenly there are screams as Guignol’s numerous puppets rush towards them and the figure appears in a black cloak with a forward flip. Guignol snarls.

“All right, who the hell are you to be entering my humble abode without a warning or invitation?” she asks, knife at the ready.

The girl with short blond hair smirks. “I’ve been tasked to retrieve the...delicate flower and bring it back to the greenhouse,” she says. “Hand him over, or else.”

Lily shrinks and shivers. Yami and Yugi stand by his side to protect him, trying to hide him but failing.

“Sorry, but he’s off for a playdate with a _ very _ powerful customer,” Guignol replies. “But if you want, I can schedule you to come visit him in his new home. Name please.”

“Alexis. Alexis Rhodes. And I don’t take no for an answer,” she says reaching into her hand and producing a blade before pointing it at Guignol's throat. “Now, hand him over.” 

Guignol snorts. “You really want to make these innocent children be traumatized from seeing their mother killed by a _ skinjob _ like you?”

Alexis smirks, “Oh, they’ll get over it,” she says before swinging her sword at Guignol, the other woman blocking the attack with her silver knife with one hand. “You know how much damage you caused with that little stunt?”

“A few explosions, three unconscious scientists -- one who’s probably emulating a pirate -- fire, screaming, smoke, the usual.” 

“Cheeky, aren’t you?” Alexis remarks, the smirk still on her lips.

“Cheekier than some of the guys you probably dated.”

Alexis swings again, before sending a kick, the bottom of her legs producing a long blade to slash at Guignol. But Guignol dodges her head to the side, her free hand grasping onto Alexis’s kicked leg.

“Cute,” Alexis replies.

“So’s your face when you blush.”

“Ahh what a sweet thing to say. I’m gonna love seeing the blood covering your face when I end you I’m sure it’ll make your eyes pop!”

“I feel very frightened…” Yugi says, feeling very uncomfortable with these flirtatious comments on the two ladies wanting to murder one another. 

“It’s alright, Yugi. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you,” Yami swears. 

The two of them kept fighting, slashing and dodging each other, blood was drawn from both of them. The puppets looked in terror, some covering their eyes at the fight. Alexis had her cartwheels and kicks to the chest, while Guignol was more okay with stiff punches to the stomach.

“We need to do something Yami,” Yugi begs. “People are going to be coming here.”

“And why not?” Yami asks. “We can just sneak Lily out and no one would be the wiser. “

“How?! This place has no end in sight!” 

Alexis stabs Guignol in her side, making Guignol yell in pain before dropping her knife. Alexis smirks and stomps on said hand, blade cutting through skin as she lifts Guignol’s chin with the toe of her other boot.

“That was fun, too bad it ended up as a one night stand,” Alexis smiles, preparing her blade. “See you later.”

“No! Please stop!” Lily yells, running past Yugi and Yami, placing his hand on Alexis. The blond cries in pain at how her skin is burning, and Guignol takes the opportunity of the momentary distraction to stab Alexis in her stomach before grabbing Alexis by her arm and slamming her to the wall.

“Knives!” Guignol shouts and a puppet with cyan hair arrives with five knives in his hand. Guignol picks one up and throws one each at Alexis: one for each arm, one for each leg and another one to the stomach. Alexis snarls as she tries to pull herself out, but it only causes the knives to cut even deeper.

“How long do you think that will hold her?” asks Yugi.

“Not long,” Guignol says. “Akaba made a career creating freak shows, she’s no different. And judging by her reaction, she’s a Blader; a warrior augmented with blades on the body” 

“So...what do we do with her?” Yami inquires.

Guignol chuckles. “You guys haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Yugi and Yami exchange a look, both walk to each side of Alexis. The assassin grits her teeth, the pupils of her eyes darkening. 

“Why not just kill her? Snap her neck and save us all a nuisance?” Yami asks, tilting Alexis’ neck just enough. 

“I wanna use her, both to get some info I might need and… well, repurpose her into something useful.” Guignol chuckles and her puppets giggle at having a new friend.

“That works for us,” Yami replies and both him and Yugi bite down on Alexis’ neck. Alexis screams, but Guignol covers her mouth to deafen it and the puppets look in horror and awe. The vampires drink enough of her blood to incapacitate her and keep her weakened. 

Guignol slowly stands up, staring at her bleeding hand. Allie arrives with a first-aid kit and Aura has a cup of tea ready. Two dolls with sea-green hair lead the puppeteer to a chair.

“So…” she says as Allie rubs a bit of vinegar onto some strips of cotton and wraps it around the cut. “About our payment.”

“Yes, yes,” Yami grumbles. “Well…what do you want?”

Guignol looks at Lily being praised by the puppets and he hugs them. None of them scream in terror or in pain. “You can take him with you, no charge. I owe you two one after all. Hope the little prince enjoys playing with the little prince. Maybe he’ll finally make little Lily finally smile,” Guignol says with a wink. 

“Thank you,” Yugi says, bowing to her. “Come on then lily,” he says with a soft smile.

Lily looks at Yugi and reaches out before pausing. He looks down and back at the puppets and Guignol, then back and Yugi and Yami. “A-alright,” he says with a nod. “But...what about you? You were stabbed!”

Guignol chuckles as she takes a sip of tea. “Ah, I’ve been in worse scrapes. I’m more concerned if you got sent back to that horrid freakshow that’s Akabastard’s kingdom.” 

Lily hugs himself and shivers at the thought of that horrid place. Guignol smiles and pats his head. “Go with them. I hope they can find a cure for you eventually. And Lily, learn to smile okay?” 

Lily looks at Guignol and the kindness she gave him, even if it was just to give him food and ask him if he was okay. And okay, perhaps she did try to make him smile a little with her puppets.

“You’ll need this too,” says Guignol, handing the journal to Yami’s hand. “See if that Lord can translate any of that.”

Yugi takes the book from her with a smile. “Thank you again, good luck with everything.” 

Yugi, Yami and Lily walk away from the tent, Lily turning around to say his final good-byes as his puppets happily wave back at him. And for a second, the corners of Lily’s mouth turn upward.

Guignol smirks as the two vampires and young boy vanish into what’s left of the night. As Allie finishes taking care of the cut and the tea starts healing the knife wound, she turns to the puppets with green hair. “Leo? Luna?”

“Yes, Madame?” ask the twins.

Guignol chuckles as she looks at Alexis. “Get the tools ready. It’s time to ‘repurpose’ someone.”

“YAY!!!!!” The puppets cheer.

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

As the sun rises and the candles in the room have all but blown out, Zarc moans and his eyes flutter open, feeling a familiar weight on his chest. He looks down to see Yuya sucking on his nipple, swirling his tongue around the bud with a groan.

Zarc chuckles and runs his hand through Yuya’s hair. “Good morning, love.” 

Yuya raises his head looking at Zarc with a smile that Zarc adores. “Good morning Father,” he whispers before sliding closer and giving Zarc a kiss on the lips. 

Zarc kisses back happily, spreading darkness into Yuya’s mind. The darkness that loves and seduces the boy, makes him his. 

Yuya whines into the kiss, smiling dumbly into it as darkness spreads into his mind. (_You love the darkness, crave it. The darkness is soothing and comforting)_

“Mmm, such a lovely morning, waking up to you giving me pleasure like that, my beautiful Yuya,” Zarc purrs, licking Yuya’s lips. 

“Father made me feel so good last night, I wanna make him feel good too,” Yuya replies before nuzzling Zarc happily. “You gave me so much. I don’t deserve a loving papa like you.” 

“Now, now Yuya, papa’s very happy to give you anything you want. You deserve all my love, my sweet boy,” Zarc purrs. “After all, who do you belong to Yuya?”

Yuya’s eyes fade and he smiles softly. “I belong to Father.”

“Who do you love most of all?”

“You Father,” Yuya’s face is flushed as Zarc’s hand moves to Yuya’s cock and starts stroking it. 

“Who’s the only one who can give you pleasure and release Yuya?”

“Father! Only Father!” Yuya gasps and shivers.

“Good boy,” Zarc purrs and bites Yuya, making the boy cum in his hand with a scream, as he rests his head on Zarc’s chest, body boneless.

“Love you Father, love you, only you, Love you most of all.” Yuya whispers his mantra as if it’s natural to him as Zarc licks the bite mark with a smirk. “Love you always, love you forever.” 

“Love you too baby," Zarc says, placing another kiss on Yuya's neck. "Vome now, I think we both need a bath.”

Yuya hums as Zarc picks him up and heads to his personal bath chamber. He lets the water fill the tub, painted gold and blue and places Yuya in it. Yuya squeals at the warm water on his skin, Zarc kisses the back of his neck, making Yuya arch his back and shiver at the touch with a small moan. Zarc smiles and enters the tub himself. 

Soon enough Zarc gets both of them clean, commanding Yuya to repeat his mantra of loving Zarc, of obeying him, over and over again. Yuya obeys, repeating the mantra as Zarc scrubs Yuya’s back with sweet smelling soaps, licking Yuya’s shoulder, scraping it with his fangs. The sensations make Yuya’s breath hitch and stutter as he keeps reciting these words. The pleasure of his father touching him like this makes him whimper and gasp as it intensifies, as if his father’s touches are rewards for his words.

“Good,” Zarc purrs. “Doing so good for Father. Keep being my good boy forever, Yuya.”

“Yes Father, forever,” Yuya says with a smile, leaning against Zarc’s chest. “Forever yours, your good boy.” 

Zarc licks his lips and extends his arm to Yuya. “I know you’re hungry love. Go on, drink from your sire.”

Yuya smiles as he brings the arm closer to him and bites at the wrist, the rich addicting taste of Zarc’s blood fills his mouth making him moan. Zarc runs his hand through Yuya’s hair as he drinks. 

With a smirk, Zarc whispered in Yuya’s ear. “That’s enough for now.”

Yuya whimpers but obediently lets go, a small trail of blood falling down his chin. Zarc places his fingers over Yuya’s chin and tilts his head to lick the blood before he kisses Yuya. Yuya smiles at the feeling of those lips on his own.

“Your majesty!”

Zarc turns to the voice, nearly growling at whoever interrupted this intimate moment between him and his son. Yami and Yugi enter, a bit unsure.

“Yes, what is it?” Zarc asks. Yuya is unaware of this, still tasting his father’s blood in his mouth.

“Forgive the interruption, your majesty, but we came with a gift of sorts,” Yami begins, knowing it is rude to interrupt when Lord Zarc was with his son.

“A gift?” Zarc questions as Yuya leans back against Zarc, as the older man pets him.

Yugi is looking away, blushing a bit as he explains. “We wanted to give Prince Yuya something, because he was feeling so lonely and has been having a lot of nightmares lately. We headed to Madam Guganol’s place.” 

“Her of all places?” Zarc huffs. “Why should I care about a puppeteer like her?”

“Well, she happened to have something, actually someone, quite interesting. A boy who was experimented on by Akaba in order to kill us vampires. His blood, his skin, his very breath is poisonous to living creatures.”

“Hmm… that is quite interesting. Yes, it is a good thing he is out of Akaba’s hands then. So tell me, where is that boy now?”

“Here, your majesty, we hope you don’t mind but we gave him some of Prince Yuya’s clothes,” Yugi answers as he guides Lily inside. “This is Lily.” 

Zarc’s eyes widen in surprise as he saw the boy with purple and pink hair and wide pink eyes. He looks so similar to his Yuya...but how?

“We could work on purifying him my lord,” Yugi suggests. “We have the journal they used to document the experiments done to him.” 

Lily doesn’t know where to look. He takes a glance at the two in the bath before casting his eyes downward, feeling unworthy to be in the presence of the Vampire Lord and his son.

“Come closer,” Zarc commands softly. 

The boy hesitates before obeying, walking towards the man on shaky legs, still not looking at him after reaching the bathtub. 

Zarc placed a hand on the boy’s face, tilting it left and right sliding it into the boy’s chin. “My, my, you are simply beautiful,” Zarc whispers with a smile.

Being called beautiful is too shocking of a thing for Lily. His eyes snap towards the man...and he stares off into shimmering golden eyes.

Lily's eyes widen. He can’t look away; the eyes were so shiny and pretty. He has never seen anything like them before. Everything fades away from his mind, his pain, his fear, his uncertainty all gone. His body relaxes as Zarc’s eyes enthrall him.

“It’s okay, Lily…” Zarc murmurs, petting the boy’s hair. “You will be safe here, loved, cared for. Anything you want, I shall give you. Do you want to be happy?”

Lily nods once. “I want...to be happy...to not be...in pain…” 

“I shall give you anything you desire, my lily...this is your new life, and I suppose with a new life I can give you a new name,” he looks down at Yuya and smiles. “I know, I’ll call you Yuri. Doesn’t that sound nice?” 

Yuri nods. “Yuri…” he whispers, feeling happier at such a name. 

“Sounds much better than ‘Plaguespreader’,” Yami murmurs.

“Good boy,” Zarc purrs and places a kiss on Yuri’s forehead, making the young boy gasp. “Yami, Yugi, you did wonderful. Just place the journal on my dresser. I shall look at it later. Now, how do you wish to be rewarded for such a precious gift?” 

Both brothers are flustered to have their lord ask them such a question. Neither of them know how to respond until Yugi asks, “...Honey cakes?”

Zarc chuckles. “Is that all? Yes you may have them. And you may take the next two days to do as you please.” 

“R-really? Th-thank you, your majesty,” Yugi stutters and both of them bow to Zarc before leaving and placing the journal on Zarc’s dresser. 

Zarc turns back to Yuri, eyes still glowing and shimmering. “Would you like to have a bath with us, Yuri?” 

Yuri pauses, a memory of being forced into a bathtub of poison flashes through his mind, being forced to submerge his head into it, swallowing the low doses of poison into his bloodstream.

“Yuri, give us a yes or no. We won’t harm you,” Zarc gives Yuri another kiss on his forehead. 

“May I kiss him too, Papa?” Yuya asks.

“Yes darling go ahead, I don’t believe the poor thing has had much affection in his life.” 

“Yay~” Yuya says, reaching out of the water and placing his hands on Yuri’s shoulders. He winces a little but then he leans forward and kisses Yuri’s cheek.

Yuri gasps again. This affection is so good...

“Would you like to join us in Yuri?" Yuya pleads. "The water is warm and nice and Father will keep you safe and protected. He loves me and wants to love you too.” 

“L-love me too?” Yuri whispers unsure. 

“Yes, we’ll give you hugs and kisses and make you feel so good, give you anything you want. Just come here, take comfort in our arms and we will keep you safe and protected,” Zarc promises. 

Yuri whimpers. “I...I want that...want it...so much…” His body is shaking; love and protection is so so close to him. 

“Then come on, get out of your clothes and come in,” says Zarc. “I promise it feels good here, warm nice water, safe in our arms as we kiss you and hug you more.”

Yuri looks at Zarc’s glowing eyes and they shimmer like the light that peered through his window. So beautiful, so warm…

He smiles as he removes his clothing, revealing scars where his arms had needles jabbed into them and cuts to let blood let out. He also has purple wounds on his chest and stomach where he had been punched repeatedly.

Zarc doesn’t like how Yuri’s body has been treated, filled with so much pain. He extends his hand to Yuri, and Yuri takes it, his own shaking as well. He whimpers as he enters the tub and gasps as the feel of warm water not burning his skin. 

“That’s it, good boy, you did so well Yuri, you did perfect for me,” Zarc whispers. “Doing good, following my commands makes you feel better than ever.” 

“F-following your commands makes me feel...feel better than ever…” Yuri repeats.

“Yes perfect,” Zarc whispers and pulls Yuri closer to him, setting him across from Yuya on his other leg as he hugs both boys to him. Yuri gasps, feeling happy, feeling so good, Yuya kisses Yuri’s cheek again and Yuri whimpers. 

“Does Yuri want me to stop?” Yuya asks and Yuri shakes his head immediately. 

“M-more, please, more kisses, feel good, feel so good,” Yuri begs and tears fall down his cheek.

“It’s alright Yuri, it’s alright,” Zarc whispers as he reaches for the soaps again, and starts cleaning Yuri with gentle loving hands and Yuya keeps on kissing him and whispering soft words to him, reassuring and loving. 

By the end of it Yuri is exhausted, and Zarc dries him with a feathery soft towel and gives him one of Yuya’s silk pajamas, before placing Yuri in his bed and placing the cover over him. “Until the maids get you your own room ready you can sleep here on my bed. From now on, you can call me Father or papa, whichever one you like,” Zarc says, patting Yuri’s head, before kissing his lips softly. 

Yuri smiles and snuggles into the bedsheets, whispering, “Yes...papa…”

“Good boy,” Zarc says as he keeps running his hand soothingly in Yuri’s hair until he falls asleep. As he sleeps, Yuya cuddles into Yuri, wanting to make him happy as much as he can.

“Hmm, poor thing, I’m gonna need to erase so much of his memories, keep him happy with us,” says Zarc. “Yuya, do you think you can help me out with this?”

“Yes Papa, I’ll do anything you ask, I do wanna make Yuri happy,” Yuya whispers as to not wake the other boy up. “What do you need me to do?” 

Zarc smiles as he looks at the pendulum over Yuya’s heart. “Just keep whispering things in his ear, keep him calm, happy. Make him trust us. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes papa,” Yuya nods. 

Zarc kisses the red eyed boy, making Yuya moan. “Good boy. That’s my beautiful lovely boy. Let’s make little lily ours, forever.”

“Forever,” Yuya nods with a smile as he removes the pendulum around his neck. “And ever...and ever…”


	5. The Nightmare Intoxicating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Father, we have to make Yuri better don't we?” says Yuya, cuddling Yuri. Tears are in his eyes as he hears his father read each of these entries and learns how much they hurt the poor lily.
> 
> “Indeed we do,” Zarc agrees, petting Yuya’s head. “The poor boy used to be such a savage thing,” Zarc adds, gently runs his hand through Yuri’s hair. Yuri doesn’t react, having been placed in a trance and only asked to just feel the soft and gentle touches Yuya and Zarc give him. “We need to let him recover, to bring him back into the sadistic child he once was.”
> 
> “But how do we do that?” Yuya asks. “That horrible Academia broke him…”
> 
> “Then we will just have to build him back up,” Zarc says with a kind smile, closing the journal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  
\----  
This is my Halloween Update from this "sorely needed an update" story. Also this is to mark the one-year anniversary of Azure_witch and I becoming friends! I'm not sure when the update is going to be as we have our own stories to work on (and online classes for myself as long as Corona is going on)
> 
> Also vampire AUs are hard to do since everyone online would immediately start doing one when they first learn what "Fanfiction" is. If anyone has any ideas, please don't hesitate to give them to us.
> 
> And with that, enjoy!

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Chapter 4**

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The Nightmare Intoxicating**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

  
  


_ The eradication of Vampire kind from the face of the earth is absolutely a necessity, they are our natural predator. They know no kindness, no humanity. Only hunger and sadism, a thirst for our blood, and a desire to control. That is why I am beginning this project. _

_ “Project: Rappacini. _

_ _

_ “It is known to me that the sacrifice of my daughter Ray was all in vain, and that the monstrous Vampire King was not eradicated, he still lives on, if ‘live’ is the right word for someone like him. Therefore through this project, I will choose the necessary test subjects in order to create a weapon, a bioweapon, that the vampires will not see coming.  _

_ “Patient number 005 or as he was known Yuri Dokou, a name he does not need anymore. The boy is clever, quick witted, and an absolute sadist, taking pleasure from the suffering of others. Controlling him was hard, he resisted but my agents are many and he is just one boy. _

_ “We started feeding him small portions of poison in his food. He got sick enough for him to go to the infirmary where we healed him. as expected. After that he kept refusing to eat for days until he succumbed one day and ate, starting the process once more.  _

_ ….. _

_ ….. _

_ Day #34  _

_ We increased the dosage of poison in Subject #005’s food. The sickness was not as severe as expected, progress was made. _

_ …… _

_ …... _

_ Day #85  _

_ Poison is to be injected into the subject’s blood stream directly via syringe. The dosage would not kill him of course, and we believe the boy is a little too immune and also very stubborn to simply die from something like this.  _

_ ….. _

_ …. _

_ Day # 250  _

_ Simply touching the boy’s skin will result in poisoning symptoms. The subject keeps twitching and crying as if in agony; if released to the wild and into vampire hands, then they will no doubt consider him easy prey as planned. But the minute they sink their fangs into his neck, the poison will activate, killing them from the inside. _

_ If this is successful there will be no need for silver or garlic or stakes. Direct attacks will be pointless.  _

_ The boy isn’t the only one who has become successful. Subject BB -- “Battle Beast” -- also shows good results too. A bit savage for our liking, but that makes him even more dangerous. _

_ At this rate, it will only take a few more tests before we take Subject #005 out onto the field. And if it is successful, it will only prove that the era of the Vampire King shall come to an end soon enough. _

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

Zarc sighs as he looks through the journal one more time, shaking his head. Humans are absolutely more monstrous than he could imagine. They broke a strong powerful boy down into a shivering wreck in an attempt to eradicate them, what a waste. 

“Father, we have to make Yuri better don't we?” says Yuya, cuddling Yuri. Tears are in his eyes as he hears his father read each of these entries and learns how much they hurt the poor lily.

“Indeed we do,” Zarc agrees, petting Yuya’s head. “The poor boy used to be such a savage thing,” Zarc adds, gently runs his hand through Yuri’s hair. Yuri doesn’t react, having been placed in a trance and only asked to just feel the soft and gentle touches Yuya and Zarc give him. “We need to let him recover, to bring him back into the sadistic child he once was.”

“But how do we do that?” Yuya asks. “That horrible Academia broke him…”

“Then we will just have to build him back up,” Zarc says with a kind smile, closing the journal. “The first thing we have to do is to make him trust us inexplicably, then to show him the power that he wields over others, and have him enjoy it.”

“Ohh...but how do we let him enjoy it?”

“It’s quite easy, my love,” Zarc purrs, taking Yuri’s wrist and gently placing the boy’s hand on Yuya’s own. “What do you feel right now?”

“A little sting,” Yuya says with all honesty. “This was the weapon to hurt us vampires?”

Zarc smiles and leans to Yuri’s ear. “Do you like holding my blood ruby’s hand?”

Yuri nods silently.

“You want to run your hands over my son’s body, hold his hand, keep him in a soft embrace.”

Yuri flinches a little. “But I’ll...hurt him…” 

“No, you won’t. You only sting, and Yuya will like it,” Zarc says, placing a long kiss on Yuri’s cheek. His lips burned a little, nothing that the Vampire King can handle. “Did you like  _ that _ , too?”

“I...I did…”

“No one has ever kissed you like that? No one ever hugged you?”

“N...no…” Yuri whimpers. When was the last time someone showed him affection? Even Madame Guignol had to give him food and love at a distance for fear of the poison reaching her.

“See? You shouldn’t be afraid of us, never be afraid of us, never  _ fear  _ harming us,” Zarc whispers running his hand through Yuri’s hair affectionately. 

“I shouldn’t fear you…”

“No, never, right Yuya?” 

“Right,” Yuya says and places a soft kiss on Yuri’s lips. He shivers at the burning sensation on his lips. He wants to kiss Yuri again and again and again, hug him tight, keep the pretty Lily by his side. 

“We promise never to feed you poison, you’ll feast on everything a growing young boy needs. On my vow as the Vampire King.”

Yuri flinches a little. “Vampires…?”

“Yes, we are Vampires. But I do promise you Yuri, we will take care of you, never let anything harm you.”

Yuri shivers, wanting to believe in those soft words. But…”Why me?”

Zarc caresses Yuri’s face gently, “You are a beautiful boy, and we desire you, I wish to see the true you once more. Wild, savage, cruel.”

“No one...liked me like that…” Yuri admits, recalling the other children running away when he appeared. 

“But we do, we’d love to see it,” Zarc says placing his hand under Yuri’s chin and kissing his cheeks with every word. “The spark in your eyes returning, the smile on your lips appearing.” 

“We really want to see you bloom again,” Yuya adds, placing a kiss on Yuri’s nose. “To be reborn, to be loved, to feel the sun on your face as you unleash your poison onto those who hurt you. Don’t you want revenge? Don’t you want the people who hurt you to have a taste of their own medicine?”

“I…I...do…” Yuri whispers. “I want them to pay…”

“Good, then let us take care of you, listen to us, and you will be that strong boy again. And you will be rewarded too.”

“Rewarded?”

“Like so,” Zarc says, kissing Yuri’s lips, making the kiss linger, spreading darkness into Yuri’s body. Yuya licks the shell of Yuri’s ear, hands around the boy’s bare chest, shivering a little from the touch of his skin. “Doesn’t that feel good?”

Yuri shivers and moans at the sensations. “Yes…” Yuri gasps, cheeks flushed making Zarc lick his lips. Seeing Yuri like this reminds him too much of Yuya, but Yuri is quite different. Yuya is pure, bright and wishes to make people smile. Yuri is cold, cunning and could kill you if you let your guard down (well, once he was back to normal).

“Follow our words, obey us without question, and you will be rewarded. And through us, you will become strong.”

“I...I want to be strong again,” Yuri repeats as Yuya runs a finger down Yuri’s cheek. “But...I’m afraid of hurting you.”

“You won’t,” Zarc says simply. “Remove such thoughts from your mind, remove the fear of it, Yuya and I enjoy you, enjoy the sting you cause. It gives us pleasurable shivers.”

“We want more of it,” Yuya coos. “More, more, more~ Wanna feel so good by your hands like we wanna make you feel good by our hands. Don’t you feel good, Yuri?” 

“I… I do,” Yuri says, licking his lips, wanting another kiss. 

“If you want it, place your hands all over Yuya’s body,” Zarc commands, helping Yuri sit up and turn him around so the boy’s back is against Zarc’s chest.. “And feel and hear how Yuya reacts.”

Yuri’s shaking hands run over Yuya’s chest, making the red eyed boy shiver and moan in pleasure. It is a different type of pleasure than his father’s hands making his mind go numb when they are in bed.

Zarc whispers behind Yuri, petting him “Good, put more force into it, see how Yuya reacts to the touches?”

Yuya shivers, the burning sensation tingles and feels good on his pale skin. “More,” he gasps. ”More, Yuri~” 

  
  


Yuri’s hands are shaking unsure yet, but touching Yuya feels good, the pain and pleasure expression making Yuri's heart beat faster like a new thrill he never knew he had, hearing a gasp from Yuya with the king behind him giving him soft touches over his naked body, making Yuri feel so good, gasps, his nails press on Yuya's skin more leaving marks “F-feels good.”

“It does...feels good… Yuri~” Yuya coos, the poison is tingly but not dangerous.

“Yuya loves it when you give him this pleasure, such an adorable masochist don't you think?” Zarc asks before whispering. “Soon, you'll be like him, a bloodsucker who craves inflicting pain on the world yet such an adorable little lily for me~”

Yuri gasps “Yes,” he smiles, they're not pushing him away, the King and Yuya, they want more, want to give him more.

“What you have, sweet lily is a power, something no one can match, you survived all this pain and hurt from people and came out of it stronger, be proud of who you are of what you've become, and show the people that hurt you that you are the one superior to them all,” Zarc guides Yuri's hand up Yuya's chest, making him gasp and whimper while his other hand trails up Yuri's own chest. He places some kisses on Yuri's neck “That's it, don't be afraid of inflicting that pain, we desire it from you, makes it all the sweeter.”

Yuri is close to tears at such kindness, such sweet words. He wants to kiss Yuya, spread his poison breath down his lungs, wants to touch him, leave burn marks over Yuya's skin.

Yuya mewls, wants to bite Yuri, drink his blood, turn him into a vampire, wants Yuri to be happy and Yuri to give him this pleasure. He can’t wait for the day Yuri’s true self returns.

Zarc chuckles into Yuri's ear making him shiver at the warm tone. “Good boys,” he says and kisses Yuri and then Yuya, pressing his chest on Yuri's back. 

“Papa,” Yuya gasps. 

Zarc smirks and kisses down Yuri's neck. “Yes my dear?” He guides Yuri's hand down Yuya's leg and Yuya shivers more.

“Wanna turn Yuri, wanna bite him, make him...like me...make him feel good, make him strong and powerful…” Yuya’s eyes almost rolled to the back of his head. 

Zarc smiles, remembering the sessions they had with the pretty pendulum in front of Yuya’s eyes. “I know, I know, Yuya but you must be patient. It took a long time for you to become mine, didn't it?”

“I…” Yuya nods, pouting, “Still... Wanna make him feel good, wanna drink his blood and feed him mine and yours.” 

Zarc kisses Yuri's neck and pinches his nipple making him gasp. “He will, once he's better, stronger, back to what he once was before that Professor tore him apart. You want to, don't You Yuri? You wanna feel good again, powerful again.”

Yuri whimpers, feeling good, so good. “I...want to...be strong...powerful…” 

“Yes. Little by little you will grow in strength. Poisons are your friend and you will feast on them and make it your ally. You will become a dragon with venomous fangs unleashing a plume of poison upon the masses,” Zarc says with a smirk. “I want you to be my treasure, to be the best you could be. A vicious boy, one whose very breath and touch could kill. One whose blood burns so good and whose claws can poison just as well as his fangs and loves every moment of it.” He places another kiss on the vein on Yuri’s neck, licking it, wanting to tease Yuri more.

Yuri gasps, eyes faded at the kiss. He wants to feel this good forever, wants to sink his venomous fangs into the bastards that made him into this despicable state.

“You'll be my good boy, won't you Yuri?” Zarc says with a low purr. “I won't just be you Master or Sire, I'll be your father. I'll love you and protect you as you do us, and you'll be fully mine as is Yuya.”

“Father…” Yuri says with tears in his eyes. He never had a father, or any sort of family. It feels too good to be real.

“Yes…” Zarc reassures him and pulls out Yuya's pendulum then begins to swing it. “Repeat it and let it burn into your mind, Yuri. You are mine, you are mine.” 

Yuya giggles and hugs Yuri, placing his hand gently on Yuri's chin and tilting it up, making him watch the pendulum swing on its thin silver chain.

“I...am yours... My... My Father...I’m yours …” Yuri repeats.

“That's it Yuri, just relax now keep your eyes on the pendulum,” Zarc smirks as Yuri follows the orders readily. He wants the streak of softness and obedience to stay but only for him, he wants Yuri to be the vicious boy he once was. The trickster, the sadist with a look of pure joy in his eyes as he destroys. Oh he would look so  _ beautiful  _ like that.

Yuya kisses down Yuri's neck gently, stopping himself from biting Yuri. When Father decides he’s ready, then Yuri will become like him. Ethereal, haunting, savage. He can’t wait for that day, so he will paint those pretty pictures into Yuri’s head.

Yuri smiles as everything fades and all that he sees is the pretty light of the pendulum...

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

“Rinrin!!!”

In a small hut in the forest, windows covered in windchimes and with a golden birdcage where little birds tweeted their lovely songs, a witch with light green hair and emerald robes looks up from her spellbook. She knows the voice who calls her by that name (for it’s the only person to call her that).

“Yugo?” she asks before heading to the door of her hut and opening it to find the blue eyed boy in front of her with a wide happy grin on his face. “Yugo, what are you doing here?”

“I came to see you, of course!” Yugo answers.

“Do your parents know that you snuck out again?”

Yugo shakes his head. “I’m like the wind! I’ll be back before my mother finds out I’m gone.”

“She  _ always _ finds out you’re gone.” 

“Yeah but she won’t be mad, I’m just here to see you~” 

Rin sighs but smiles at him, and opens her arms to let him hug her. Yugo squeals and wraps his arms around Rin tightly, nuzzling her neck. 

“Alright, come in,” Rin says inviting Yugo in as she starts to tidy up her desk and shelves. “What’s new with you?” she asks, playfully patting Yugo’s cheek. 

Yugo sighs. “Mother still wants me to be cruel like her and Father. She doesn’t like how I’m not as ‘wicked as the witches in the woods’.”

Rin snickers. “Well, she’s just gotta accept that that’s not who you are,” she says, smiling at Yugo. The two have been friends for years, which all started when Yugo was trying to escape with his head and some food he snatched, escaping into the woods and somehow slipped on some ice and found himself crashing into Rin’s hut, Rin helped him until he healed, and Yugo had been visiting her hut ever since keeping her company when she’s alone.

Yugo doesn’t remember a lot of his past. Just that he liked staring at the toy-makers, hoping to save up money to buy a special trinket of his own and hearing of the capable boys in the village preparing to fight off against the vampires. The village he used to live in was burned to the ground by a horde of demons and after that...well...he just woke up and he was now a vampire. 

His parents, King Jack and Queen Carly were loving, but Carly always demanded that Yugo embrace his vampire nature. Jack, while not as demanding, could be somewhat soft when it came to Yugo wanting to be as great as the king one day. But for some odd reason, whenever Yugo would ask about what happened to the village, Jack would decline to answer.

“She gets really disappointed though,” Yugo sighs.

“Well I really can’t see you working against your nature,” Rin says. 

“So you can’t help?” Yugo asks, pouting. 

“Help you… become wicked?”

“Yeah, you cast spells and brew potions. Like, can you brew one for me?”

“But if I do, then you wouldn’t be you. And I like you as you are,” Rin replies. “And you’d be lying to your parents about it.”

Yugo sighs. “Yeah… you’re right. still, I wish I could be better,” Yugo says, coming closer to her. “Be as wicked as my pretty witch,” Yuga grabs Rin and pulls her into his arms, spinning her around and making her giggle...but then she stopped as she heard something rustle.

“Did you hear that?” she whispers, and Yugo places her down gently. 

“Madame Guingol, I found you!”

“Madame Guig--” Rin watches as someone kicks the door to her hut open and stomps inside. 

The intruder is somewhat shorter than Rin, with indigo hair tied up with a yellow ribbon. She wears a red jacket, brown shorts, and combat boots. Strapped to her side is a dagger, and another one with a silver blade is in her left hand. 

“Show yourself, Madame Guignol!” The stubborn girl exclaims. “I know you’re in here!”

Rin snarls as she approaches the girl. “Hey, my name is Rin!” 

The red jacket girl blinks. “You’re not...Madame Guignol?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake no!” Rin growls. “I’m not that bitch and you better tell me what you want or get the fuck out of my home!”

“I’m Serena,” The girl replies. “And I’m here to find one of Academia’s ‘finest Bladers’ Alexis. She was last chasing off the whereabouts of Madame Guignol.”

“Do you see  _ any _ sign of puppets in my home?! _ “  _ Rin yells, pointing to the cauldron, her bookshelf, her broomstick by the corner. “And I’ve never heard of Alexis. Why would you even think _ I _ was the puppet bitch?!”

“I was just looking for her. You...don’t like her, do you?”

“No I fucking don’t!” Rin shouted. “The bitch gets on my nerves with her snark and her  _ precious lovelies _ ,” 

“Well she had someone important that the Professor wants back,” says Serena. 

Rin tilts her head. “Who’s so important that Academia brought  _ you _ to my door?”

“A weapon that could kill vampires.”

Yugo’s eyes widen. 

“Oh?” Rin folding her arms,, trying to keep the attention on her and not on Yugo. “Academia is always trying to make weapons. What makes this one so special?”

“It’s a bioweapon,” Serena answers.

“Do you know how it works?” Rin asks.

“Yeah, worthy students are fed poison and build an immunity to it over time. To the point that their own breath and skin is rendered poisonous. So if a vampire decides to bite them, the toxins in the blood would kill them from the inside out.”

“Academia would stoop that low…”

“Academia is doing all it can to stop the scourge that are the vampires!” Serena exclaims. “The vampires have hunted us down and don’t care about what we feel except that we’re cattle for them to feed on!”

“But Academia’s way of defeating them is through torturing students until they’re nothing more than helpless time bombs?! And I thought the puppet bitch was brutal,” Rin says rolling her eyes. 

“If you know where she is, tell me!” says Serena, silver dagger in her hand.

“I don’t, now just leave. She keeps moving around; even I don't know where she’s set up camp at this point.”

“Don’t lie to me! You  _ know _ her so that means you keep in contact.”

“That is not how it works! I hate the bitch’s guts.”

“You expect me to believe that?! Tell me where she is!” Serena yells and runs towards Rin in seconds, her silver blade pierced through Rin’s side making her yell in pain, before a blast of ice is sent from her hand freezing Serena’s feet to the ground. 

“Rin!” Anger fills Yugo at seeing Rin hurt and in pain. He clutches his hands and in the blink of an eye he stands in front of Serena, fangs bare, as he grabs her and bites down on her neck, draining the blood from her before letting her body fall to the floor with distaste. Serena has no time to react, except a gasp of terror when she realizes what she has done…

_ No...I just...wanted...the Professor… _

Serena moans in pain as her vision turns black and Yugo pants. He rarely, if ever, acts berserk when it comes to attacking humans. But this girl went and attacked his Rin even after Rin told her the truth. She  _ deserved _ this death for her stubbornness.

“Well, well, well. I never thought you had it in you, Yugo.”

Yugo looks up, blood trickling down his chin. The person looking down at him is the last person he is expecting. “Mother…” 

Carly in her long black dress with orange trim, grins. “I knew you had it in you, my blood-soaked crescent,” she purrs, looking down at Serena. “My, she’s such a stubborn breed, but I think she’ll be perfect.”

“Perfect? F...for what?”

Carly chuckles. “To be your sister, of course.”

“Ugh, just don’t let her near me again then,” Rin says, standing up and leaning on a desk as her side bleeds. 

“Rin!” Yugo yells worriedly and goes to help her. 

“It’s fine love. I have a few healing spells,” Rin reassures Yugo, giving him a weak smile. She hisses as she grabs a few herbs from a jar and starts making a small poultice to rub against her side, Yugo hovering near her, making sure she doesn’t hurt herself more. 

“This girl mentioned Madame Guignol,” Carly remarks. “Why is Madame Guignol on Academia’s radar  _ this  _ time?”

“Well, the nutty professor is making bioweapons to kill vampires,” Rin explains through gritted teeth as Yugo helps her sit down on a stool. “And apparently the puppet bitch has one of those weapons.” Yugo whimpers a little, but she pats Yugo’s cheek, reassuring him that she’s fine.

“A weapon in the shape of a human...and there’s more where that came from,” Carly muses, walking back and forth, her long legs making strides against the floor. “Knowing Guingol, she likes to poke her head out like a turtle napping in a pond at sunrise whenever she travels from village to village. Messaging her would be too risky but we should probably send a message to King Zarc about this.”

“Sure, and I need to place protective runes around my house so strangers wouldn’t just barge in like her,” Rin says, gesturing to Serena on the floor.

“I told you before, you can just come live with us Rin,” says Yugo. “You’ll be safe and no one would bother you there.” 

“He is right you know, child, and with you there, Yugo really wouldn’t have an excuse to sneak out,” Carly remarks and Yugo chuckles a little. 

Rin looks unimpressed at the Queen. “I’ll think about it,” she replies. 

“Rinrin,” Yugo whines, taking Rin’s hands in his own as if he’s begging her. “That’s what you said the last time...and the one before that and the one before that...” 

“And Akaba might call for a witch hunt. Do you really think these idiots will discriminate between any of you?” Carly points out. “You were lucky this girl was too sheltered to know the difference between a witch and a puppeteer.” 

Rin hisses, both from pain and annoyance. “Lucky isn’t the word I’d use, I was still stabbed. Ugh she has quick reflexes.”

“And a bloodlust to prove herself worthy,” Carly adds. “She just needs a bit more education and she’ll be perfect. And besides, with a name like that, it perfectly compliments you, Yugo.”

“What do you mean?”

“Serena, goddess of the moon. And you have adorable crescent bangs,” Carly teases, making an upward curve motion with a finger. “And at least I know what will make your inner vampire come out.”

“If you dare hurt Rinrin, I won’t forgive you!” Yugo snarls.

“Oh, no, I’d never harm her,” Carly notes. “But she  _ does  _ drive you wild, doesn’t she? You’ll do  _ anything  _ to protect her, and remove anything that could harm her, correct?” 

“Well…”

“Oh please, don’t use me as a pawn,” Rin interrupts with a sharp tone, digging her green nails deep into her palms. “If there’s one thing that I agree with Madame Guignol is that we both don’t like bowing down to authority -- whether it’s Academia or the likes of  _ you _ .” 

Carly frowns and she summons her staff from the shadows that looks like the cross between a magician’s staff and a scythe. “Now don’t be a difficult child, this is for all our own good. You need the protection, and you do love my boy as he loves you.”

Rin growls. “I love him more than  _ you  _ love your husband or your humanity.”

At this, Carly tackles Rin and slams her toward the wall, hands grasping Rin’s green hair. “Don’t EVER mention my past again,” Carly hisses through gritted teeth. 

Rin yells in pain. If it wasn’t for Serena’s attack, she could summon her wand and defend herself...but even then, attacking the Dark Queen would alert her husband and Rin would be in an even  _ bigger _ world of hurt.

“Put her down!” Yugo yells furiously, grabbing Carly’s wrist, his claws digging in her arm, and looking at her with anger. “Now.  _ Mother.” _

A few seconds pass and Carly puts Rin down, Yugo quickly kneels beside her and cradles Rin in his arms, who is even more hurt now, hissing in pain, with a few tears falling down her face. 

“Remember that you are indebted to my husband and I,” Carly remarks, not even bothered by the blood trickling down her arm. 

Rin glares and says nothing before getting on her feet and limps around. 

“Rin--” Yugo tries to say. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine Yugo,” she says with her back to him before grabbing a bottle with a strange grey liquid in it. 

“But,” Yugo says, placing his hand on Rin’s back gently who hisses in pain once more, making him remove it as if it had burned both of them. “Rin,” he whispers worriedly.

“We’re going, Yugo,” Carly commands, grasping Serena and letting a trickle of blood fall into Serena’s lips. “You are to stay in the castle and, hopefully, you actually retained something from your lessons. Serena is going to need all the education she can get.” 

Carly walks out of the hut, practically slamming the door behind her, causing the wind chimes to clang as they rock back and forth.

“Rin,” Yugo whispers, placing his hand on Rin’s cheek. “I’m sorry, I just want you safe. I really do. Mother wouldn’t hurt you again, please come home with me, please.” 

Rin swallows and lets out a breath before pouring what’s constrained in the bottle into a cup and sprinkling crushed leaves. She places the cup to her lips and drinks it quickly. She has always hated the bitter taste of it, and as soon as it’s finished, she slams the cup to the desk. 

A few seconds of silence before Rin answers. “I wanna take all my books. My clothes too.”

“You’re coming?” Yugo asks, with a hopeful grin.

Rin smiles. “Yeah, might as well. I don’t want you all alone in that dreary castle again. And putting runes around my home means even you won’t be able to get in.”

“Rinrin!!!” Yugo cries, hugging Rin, to the point of squeezing her.

“Yugo! Ow! Side is sore, remember?” 

“Oh, sorry!” Yugo says, loosening his grip before he stares at his beautiful witch. “I love you Rin,” Yugo says softly. 

Rin lets out a tired breath. “I love you too. Now come on, help me get the books to my bag.” 

“It’s a small bag, though,” Yugo points out. 

“It’s enchanted, it’ll be fine,” Rin says as she starts moving around, deciding which book would be necessary for the new move to the castle and gathering two or three of them and stuffing them to a small bag on the floor. Surprisingly the bag didn’t bulge from it.. 

“Wait! Rin, you’re hurt.” 

“It’s fine. The thing I drank? My body will feel numb for an hour or so, so I can at least move around without feeling it.”

“That’s dangerous though, right?”

“Yeah well I’ve just been stabbed and slammed to a wall and apparently moving to a new place. I’ll take my chances with the numbing potion.” 

“Okay…” Yugo says and starts helping her out. He’s been in Rin’s place so many times that if she just asked him to pick up something he could close his eyes and figure it out and get it every time. “You know you could probably get new clothes at home.”

“And I’ll wake up in the morning and think, ‘Oh what should I wear? This black dress? That black dress? Oh I know! A black dress would be perfect on me!’” Rin sighs. “I’m not a witch of darkness, I’m a Windwitch!”

“What’s the difference? I mean you cast spells, ride broomsticks, brew potions, have an evil cackle….OW!”   
  


“Oh you don’t like my laugh? Good to know,” Rin says glaring at him and hitting him again with a heavy tome.

“I didn’t mean it like that~” Yugo whines while Rin sighs again. “Besides all you wear is green, you can just ask the tailor to make new outfits for you. I know mother has a friend who has plenty of dresses that are black and green.”

“We’ll see when we get there,” says Rin. “Now help me out with some of these ingredients, won't you? And be careful! I don’t know when I’ll be able to gather more of them.”

“Aye aye!” says Yugo, quickly gathering everything from the top shelf, making sure one jar doesn’t drop by making sure it lands on his foot at the last second.

…

…

...

After they are finished cleaning up, and Rin draws a few runes on the door so no one can enter, Yugo takes the bag and places it over his shoulder before taking Rin in his arms carrying her bridal style. 

“What are you doing Yugo?” Rin asks. 

“Well I’m not gonna let you walk all the way to the castle on your feet, you’re hurt, even if you don’t feel it, you’ll probably collapse or open your wound. Just relax, okay?” 

Rin gives a sigh. “Yeah, alright,” she says and places a kiss on Yugo’s cheek as they leave the house. With a few steps, both of them watch Carly feeding blood to Serena from her open wound. The Dark Queen hums a song to herself as she waits for Serena’s eyes to open which they do a few seconds later.

“W...what...happened?” Serena whispers, her vision returning. Then, it comes back to her and she scrambles for the silver dagger strapped to her thigh...only to find it’s missing. “No! My weapon!”

“Oh, you mean this?” asks Carly, grasping the handle of the dagger in front of Serena’s vision. Serena gasps as Carly places another hand on her throat.

“Give that back!” Serena yells weakly, feeling so tired.

“Sorry, little girls shouldn’t be running around with pointy objects,” Carly replies, tossing it behind her back. Rin catches it without even flinching, and placing it under her robes. “You could poke your eye out with it.”

“What do you want with me?” asks Serena. “Why don’t you just kill me already?”

“If you sought death, then you’d be dead by my son’s hand, not mine,” Carly coos.

Serena looks back, seeing the boy who attacked her carrying the witch comfortably in his arms. “He...he’s a…”

“Yeah, what gave it away that I’m a vampire?” Yugo remarks. Serena looks closer and if she could, she’d be hitting her head against a tree repeatedly. Pale skin, slit pupils, fangs...she just blurted out one of Academia’s biggest secrets  _ to the enemy _ . No wonder the Professor always told her to stay behind…

“You hurt Rin, you deserved to die,” Yugo adds. “But...mother has other plans for you.” 

“M...mother?” Serena whispers, staring at Carly. “W...what did you…”

“There’s a problem with being a vampire; you can’t bear children,” Carly says. “I always wanted one of each: one boy, one girl. I’ve had Yugo for years, and now I finally have a daughter to call my own!”

“D...daughter?” Serena repeats. “But...that means…”

There is a pause as Serena places her fingers on her neck to check her pulse...but there is none. She knows what this means; she knows what has happened to her.

“I’VE BEEN TURNED INTO A VAMPIRE?!” she screams.

“Welcome to the family,” Rin says deadpanned, as she presses her chin to the top of Yugo’s head.

“No…” Serena says. She knows what is to be done. If a student of Academia is about to be turned into a vampire, it is better to die an honorable death than to live an eternity as one of those blood suckers. “I failed the Professor...just...just kill me now.”

“Why would I?” asks Carly, dragging Serena onto her feet. “Come now. Your father would want to see you in person.”

“F...father?” Serena squeaks.

Carly laughs. “Surely you know of my husband, the Dark King Jack Atlas, do you?”

Serena’s look of shock is the only answer the Dark Queen needs.

“Good,” Carly says as she heads back to her home. “It’ll make things a  _ lot  _ easier, wouldn’t you agree Yugo?”

“... Sure Mother.” Yugo answers, not sure how to answer this.

“Very good,” says Carly, carrying the frightened Serena back to the castle. “Let’s get going. Your father is going to  _ love _ what we found.”

As the Dark Queen starts to walk away, Rin stays quiet, resting against Yugo, she didn’t expect to be this tired already, she only knows that she’s going to need to rest when she finally has a chance.

“Academia turns children into weapons…” Yugo mutters.

“Yes, they seem to be,” Rin murmured back.

“I wonder what type of person Madame Guignol kidnapped under Academia’s nose,” “Yugo ponders. “I hope, whoever they are, they’re in safer hands.”

“Yeah,” Rin agrees with a nod. “But if what Serena says is true, and that there are more students who have been experimented on…” she pauses before she groans.

“What’s wrong?”

“Looks like we have to go find the puppet bitch to hear  _ her _ side of the story. She might know the identities of other children that were experimented on.”

“Rin, this is risky business!” Yugo exclaims. “One, Madame Guignol is not gonna give you this information lightly. And two, if you’re caught associating with her then Academia could…” Yugo pauses before grasping onto Rin’s arm. “I’m not making you go alone. Not after what Serena did to you.”

“I’m already associated with you. Trust me. I don’t wanna see that bitch any time soon but she might be our only source of information we have about everything else Academia is hiding. And I’m hardly going anytime soon until I’m healed. I need at least a day or two before I’m not using you as a crutch.”

“Then I need to tell mother and father about this plan,” says Yugo. 

“Of course,” Rin agrees. “I’m gonna need to freeze something after today.” she murmurs. 

“Well, I guess you can freeze me after that insult about your laugh…” Yugo chuckles.

Rin looks at Yugo and tilts his face towards before pressing a cold kiss to his lips, making Yugo shiver and be in a small daze, as he breathes out a puff of cold air. She then laughs as the two walk back to the castle, her laughter like the sound of bells ringing on an early winter’s day.

  
  



End file.
